Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

“Why does it take so long to get an innocent person out of prison?”

We hear that question a lot.  In this issue of NCIP’s quarterly newsletter, we try to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into getting an innocent person exonerated: the frustrating search for documents, the painstaking investigations, the heartbreaking witness interviews, the detailed research and the often-contentious litigation. On average, it takes more than 11 years to free someone wrongfully convicted.  The costs are enormous – both in terms of actual legal and investigative costs borne by NCIP and partner law firms working on an exoneration, and also in terms of the wasted money spent by taxpayers in keeping an innocent person in prison for years. The human cost and emotional trauma for the client and his/her family is the highest of all and impossible to quantify.  

As you read the newsletter, you will also learn about NCIP’s efforts to confront and remedy these challenges – by changing the way that new evidence may be used to prove innocence in California (a huge legislative victory and a game-changer for our clients); by holding restorative justice healing circles, to aid healing and assist exonerees and their families in moving forward; by zealously advocating for clients like Domingo Bustos Anaya, who has been sitting in prison for more than 20 years, waiting to be exonerated and set free.

There can be few things worse than being locked up in prison for a crime you did not commit. Please help us free the innocent and change the system so that it doesn’t take a decade or more to fix mistakes and free people.  Your support is crucial to our success. As you begin to consider end-of-year gifts, I hope you will give generously to support NCIP.

Thank you for all you do to support us so that we can free others.

Judge Issues Order to Show Cause in Anaya Case
In a recently filed petition for writ of habeas corpus, NCIP attorneys presented evidence that proves NCIP client Domingo Bustos Anaya is innocent of the murder for which he was convicted nearly twenty years ago. More>>

Governor Brown Signs Bills Which Change the Landscape for Innocence in California
On September 28, Governor Brown signed three NCIP-backed bills which will have a significant impact on NCIP's cases.
More>>

NCIP Students Extract DNA in Class - So Can You! 
As part of the NCIP clinic's week-long DNA module, students studied DNA by extracting DNA from their own skin cells. Find out how you can can do it too!  
More>>

Perspectives: Andrea "Dre" McEwen
NCIP Staff Attorney Dre McEwen offers her perspective on the painstaking yet delicate nature of investigating wrongful conviction cases.                                          More>>

NCIP Hosts August Restorative Justice Retreat        NCIP hosted the second of two retreats in 2016 to help exonerees, exonerees' family members and crime victims to share stories, heal and build community. More>>

Around the Network: Wrongful Conviction Day
On October 4, NCIP joined innocence projects across the globe to mark Wrongful Conviction Day, a day to educate the broader community on wrongful conviction. More>>

• NCIP exoneree and advisory board member Franky Carrillo was featured in the Takepart story Exonerated Man Gets $10 Million, but What He Wants Is to End the Death Penalty.

• Exonoree Luther Jones was featured in the Press Democrat story Lake County man awarded $936,880 for wrongful conviction.