Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

As 2017 begins, we are looking forward to one of the most important years to date for innocence work in California.

With one of the largest number of cases in active litigation in our history, a revised (and reasonable) standard for introduction of new evidence to show innocence firmly in place in California courts, and a full agenda for legislative reform that will help prevent wrongful conviction, NCIP is charging ahead. 

As public attention shifts and media coverage is focused on the new Administration, we keep working. The one constant in our work is the urgency of freeing innocent people wrongfully convicted. As you read this edition of our e-newsletter, you will get a sense of what it is to visit and work with our clients behind bars.  Supervising Attorney Paige Kaneb talks about what it is like to find humanity inside the prison walls.  NCIP clinic student Regan Bradley-Brown reflects on her visit with longtime client “Sonia” at Chowchilla Women’s Facility on the 15th anniversary of her wrongful conviction.  Legal Director Linda Starr outlines the eleven cases which are currently in advanced stages of investigation and litigation. Melissa O’Connell, NCIP’s new Policy Liaison, outlines our legislative agenda for the upcoming season. We welcome new Advisory Board members Paul Grewal and Barmak Meftah, and say thank you to departing members Don Dodson and Nikki Pope. We celebrate Cooley LLP’s tremendous contributions to NCIP as we honor them at the upcoming JFA dinner, and we note Joan Baez’s recent efforts to bring the cause of innocence to broader public awareness.

There is urgency to our work.  Wrongful conviction affects real people and their families.  We work for them every day – and we work to prevent the next wrongful conviction from happening.  We are grateful for your continued support and your steadfast commitment to justice.

NCIP to Enter One of its Busiest Litigation Periods Ever
This spring will be a busy time for NCIP with a multitude of cases in litigation and about to enter litigation. NCIP's legal team prepares to make appearances in courthouses from Kings County to El Dorado County. More>>

NCIP Launches its 2017 Legislative Agenda
In 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed two NCIP-sponsored pieces of legislation - Senate Bill 1134 (Leno, Anderson) created a viable new evidence standard for actual innocence in California and Senate Bill 1389 (Glazer, Hernandez) required recording of custodial interrogation of all murder suspects. Building on its successes, NCIP looks ahead to its 2017 legislative agenda. More>>

NCIP Clinic at Work: Behind the Barbed Wire of Chowchilla Women's Facility
Visiting clients in prison is a unique opportunity afforded to NCIP clinic students. NCIP student Regan Bradley-Brown provides insight into her recent prison visit with NCIP client "Sonia" at Chowchilla Women's Facility. More>>

NCIP Welcomes Two Silicon Valley Executives to its Advisory Board and Bids Goodbye to Two Longtime Members
Paul Grewal, Vice President and Deputy General of Facebook, and Barmak Meftah, President and CEO of AlienVault, join the NCIP advisory board and the fight against wrongful convictions. More>>

Partner Profile: Cooley LLP
Under John Dwyer’s leadership as Partner-In-Charge, Cooley LLP has made exceptional pro bono contributions to NCIP’s work. NCIP will be honoring Cooley this year at its annual Justice For All Dinner for their contribution of hundreds of hours of pro bono work and steady devotion to justice. More>>

Joan Baez Lends Her Voice to the Innocence Movement
Legendary folk singer and human rights activist Joan Baez joined the innocence movement partnering with innocence projects across the country to spread awareness of the issue of wrongful conviction. In November 2016, Joan partnered with NCIP. More>>

Around the Network
The Innocence Network is an affiliation of organizations dedicated to providing pro bono legal services to wrongfully convicted individuals, and working to redress the causes of wrongful convictions. 2016 was another busy year for Network affiliated organizations with 166 people exonerated of crimes they did not commit.  More>>