Blog

Meet the Summer 2023 Interns

Meet the Summer 2023 Interns

The Georgia Innocence Project welcomes the 2023 summer interns. Coming from different parts of the United States, the group of ...

/ General
Looking Back as the Fiscal Year Ends!

Looking Back as the Fiscal Year Ends!

Lee Clark embraces his uncle after being released from jail. As a fellow traveler in the mission to end wrongful ...

Father's Day: From Separation to Celebration

Father’s Day: From Separation to Celebration

For the past 25 years, Glen Clark celebrated Father’s Day by opening gifts from his son Lee– gifts sent from ...

/ General
Juneteenth 2023

Juneteenth 2023

This week, join us as we commemorate Juneteenth and celebrate Black Americans’ perseverance and history. What Does Juneteenth Commemorate? On ...

/ General
Behind Bars Despite DNA Evidence

Behind Bars Despite DNA Evidence

In this post, we will dig deeper into one of GIP’s long-time active cases and explain how a procedural error ...

How Many Innocent People Are in Prison?

How Many Innocent People Are in Prison?

We are regularly asked how many innocent people are in prison in the United States. It’s impossible to know the ...

/ General
Eyewitness Misidentification and Wrongful Convictions

Eyewitness Misidentification and Wrongful Convictions

“There is almost nothing more convincing than a live human being who takes the stand, points a finger at the ...

In Memory of Calvin C. Johnson Jr.

In Memory of Calvin C. Johnson Jr.

It is with both deep sadness and many warm memories that we share the news of the passing of our ...

Joey Watkins Granted Bond

Joey Watkins Granted Bond

Joey Watkins embraces his parents immediately after being released from Floyd County Jail We wanted to share some good news ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
Joey Watkins: One Step Closer to Freedom

Joey Watkins: One Step Closer to Freedom

On December 20th, the Supreme Court of Georgia unanimously affirmed Habeas relief for Joey Watkins. This favorable opinion comes after ...

GA SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY AFFIRMS HABEAS RELIEF FOR JOEY WATKINS

GA SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY AFFIRMS HABEAS RELIEF FOR JOEY WATKINS

Convicted of murder in Floyd County in 2001, Watkins has maintained his innocence from the beginning and gained national attention ...

Lee Clark Exonerated After More Than 25 Years

Lee Clark Exonerated After More Than 25 Years

Lee Clark (right) embraces family and friends immediately after his release from Floyd County Jail. Lee Clark Exonerated After More ...

"Bonded by Innocence, Together in Freedom" Exhibition

“Bonded by Innocence, Together in Freedom” Exhibition

The exhibition will be housed in the lobby of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum through the end of ...

/ General, Get Involved
In Memory of Page Pate

In Memory of Page Pate

The Georgia Innocence Project family is heartbroken at the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and board member Page Pate ...

/ General
GA Supreme Court to hear Oral Arguments for the Joey Watkins' Case on October 4th, 2022

GA Supreme Court to hear Oral Arguments for the Joey Watkins’ Case on October 4th, 2022

We now have a date set for oral arguments in Joey Watkins’ case. On October 4th, 2022, Joey’s lawyers from ...

Joey Watkins' Case Updates

Joey Watkins’ Case Updates

January 2023 Joey’s bond hearing took the morning of January 3rd, 2023, before Floyd County Superior Court Judge Bryan Johnson.  ...

The 50 For 50 Freedom Run

The 50 For 50 Freedom Run

Columbus woman runs 50 miles on her 50th Birthday to raise money for GIP Casey Geringer, Johnny Gates, and supporters ...

Fourth of July 2022

Fourth of July 2022

Fourth of July This July 4th, we echo the sentiments of the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Editorial Board from two days ...

/ General
Juneteenth 2022

Juneteenth 2022

Juneteenth 2022 This week we reflect on and celebrate the resilience and determination of Black Americans as the GIP office ...

/ General, Juneteenth
Georgia Supreme Court Adopts Rule to Hold Prosecutors Accountable for Misconduct

Georgia Supreme Court Adopts Rule to Hold Prosecutors Accountable for Misconduct

Georgia Supreme Court Adopts Rule to Hold Prosecutors Accountable for Misconduct “The primary duty of the prosecutor is to seek ...

Georgia Attorney General’s Office Files Appeal in Joey Watkins Case

Georgia Attorney General’s Office Files Appeal in Joey Watkins Case Yesterday we received the disappointing news that the Georgia Attorney ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
April 25th is National DNA Day

April 25th is National DNA Day

April 25th is National DNA Day Today is National DNA Day, which commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project ...

/ General
Joey Watkins' Habeas Petition Granted

Joey Watkins’ Habeas Petition Granted

I am BEYOND thrilled to share with you that after years of litigation and a 3-day hearing in February/March, Walker ...

It’s Time for Georgia to Pass a Law to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted

It’s Time for Georgia to Pass a Law to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted

It’s Time for Georgia to Pass a Law to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted Many people think that the nightmare of ...

/ General
Beneath the Statistics: The Structural and Systemic Causes of Our Wrongful Conviction Problem

Beneath the Statistics: The Structural and Systemic Causes of Our Wrongful Conviction Problem

Beneath the Statistics: The Structural and Systemic Causes of Our Wrongful Conviction Problem The statistics related to wrongful convictions, and ...

/ General
Devonia Inman Exonerated After 23 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Devonia Inman Exonerated After 23 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Twenty three years after he was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, almost eight years after a court ...

Court Grants Devonia Inman’s Habeas Corpus Petition!

Court Grants Devonia Inman’s Habeas Corpus Petition!

Great News! A Chattooga County Superior Court Judge has granted Devonia Inman’s habeas corpus petition, finding that he was wrongfully ...

GIP Closes Out 2-Year Alabama Fellowship

GIP Closes Out 2-Year Alabama Fellowship

Professor LaJuana Davis and GIP Attorney Meagan Hurley GIP Closes Out 2-Year Alabama Fellowship We recently had a big celebration ...

Wrongful Conviction Factors

Wrongful Conviction Factors

Kerry Robinson was exonerated in January 2020 Wrongful Conviction Factors A wrongful conviction is the conviction of an innocent person ...

The Death Penalty: Unfixable, Unjustly Applied, and Regularly Used as a Tool to Convict the Innocent

The Death Penalty: Unfixable, Unjustly Applied, and Regularly Used as a Tool to Convict the Innocent

(Image: AP Photo/Savannah Morning News) The Death Penalty: Unfixable, Unjustly Applied, and Regularly Used as a Tool to Convict the ...

Meet the Legal Team

Meet the Legal Team

Meet the GIP Legal Team Our staff is at the heart of what we do. Our ability to help wrongly ...

/ General
Justice Requires Meaningful Oversight and Accountability of Prosecutors

Justice Requires Meaningful Oversight and Accountability of Prosecutors

Justice Requires Meaningful Oversight and Accountability of Prosecutors Last week, former District Attorney Jackie Johnson was criminally indicted on charges ...

Ron Jacobsen Officially Exonerated After 30 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Ron Jacobsen Officially Exonerated After 30 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Ron Jacobsen Officially Exonerated After 30 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment We are thrilled to announce that this week Ron Jacobsen ...

Dennis Perry Exonerated After 20 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Dennis Perry Exonerated After 20 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment

Dennis Perry Exonerated After 20 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment After more than 20 years behind bars, and just over one ...

/ General
Why is it so hard to right a wrong in Georgia?

Why is it so hard to right a wrong in Georgia?

Why is it so hard to right a wrong in Georgia? “Justice, not victory, is our chief goal.” So say ...

/ Devonia Inman, General
First Father's Day (Again)

First Father’s Day (Again)

First Father’s Day (Again) Kerry Robinson (right) and his son KyeSean walk side by side on the prison lawn, moments ...

/ General
Terry Talley Exonerated in 4 Cases From 1981

Terry Talley Exonerated in 4 Cases From 1981

Terry upon walking out of prison after nearly 40 years of wrongful imprisonment. After nearly 40 years in prison for ...

/ General
Judge Orders New Trial in Dennis Perry Case

Judge Orders New Trial in Dennis Perry Case

Press Release – July 17, 2020 JUDGE ORDERS NEW TRIAL AFTER TWENTY YEARS FOR MAN CONVICTED IN 1985 DOUBLE MURDER ...

Georgia Moves to Slash Public Defender’s Appellate Division

Georgia Moves to Slash Public Defender’s Appellate Division

We Need Your Voice: Georgia Moves to Slash Public Defender’s Appellate Division Georgians are constitutionally entitled to effective counsel in ...

/ General
Juneteenth 2020: We Have Work to Do

Juneteenth 2020: We Have Work to Do

Juneteenth 2020: We Have Work to Do (Credit: Legal Defense Fund on Twitter) Almost one hundred years after bombs burst ...

/ General
GIP Statement on George Floyd

GIP Statement on George Floyd

GIP Statement on the Killing of George Floyd Credit: CC George Livingston/Flickr. As we work to free Georgia’s wrongfully convicted, ...

/ General
GIP's Statement on the Ahmaud Arbery Killing

GIP’s Statement on the Ahmaud Arbery Killing

Solidarity With Ahmaud Arbery On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old, unarmed Black man, was shot and killed in ...

/ General
World DNA Day

World DNA Day

World DNA Day Help Solve Crimes and Free Georgia’s Imprisoned Innocent Today is World DNA Day. 100% of any donation ...

/ General
GIP Update Regarding COVID-19 Impacts

GIP Update Regarding COVID-19 Impacts

On March 13th, as Georgia was undertaking dramatic steps to stem the tide of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Georgia ...

/ General
Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Johnny Lee Gates!

Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Johnny Lee Gates!

Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Johnny Lee Gates! Johnny Lee Gates has spent 43 years imprisoned ...

Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Joey Watkins!

Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Joey Watkins!

Georgia Supreme Court Rules in Favor of GIP Client Joey Watkins! Joey Watkins was convicted in 2001 of a murder ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
GIP Client Kerry Robinson Exonerated After Nearly 18 Years in Prison

GIP Client Kerry Robinson Exonerated After Nearly 18 Years in Prison

GIP Client Kerry Robinson Exonerated After Nearly 18 Years in Prison Kerry Robinson Walks Out of Prison a Free Man ...

OUR TOP TEN REASONS TO BE THANKFUL - 2019

OUR TOP TEN REASONS TO BE THANKFUL – 2019

Thanks for Coach Pierce and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks! Atlanta Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce is passionate about correcting and ...

/ General
Wrongful Conviction Day 2019

Wrongful Conviction Day 2019

TODAY, Wednesday, October 2nd, is Wrongful Conviction Day – the annual international observance dedicated to ending wrongful convictions and highlighting ...

/ General
September 2019 Devonia Inman Case Update

September 2019 Devonia Inman Case Update

We have more EXCITING NEWS in the Devonia Inman case! Yesterday, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected the Georgia State Attorney ...

/ Case Update, Devonia Inman
Update on the Devonia Inman Case

Update on the Devonia Inman Case

In so many post-conviction innocence cases the biggest hurdle we face comes from the State successfully arguing: “Innocence does not ...

/ Case Update, Devonia Inman
Logo

Update on Joey Watkins Case: Part III

Last month we shared a two-part update on the Joey Watkins case. Part I detailed Joey’s innocence and how previous ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
Logo

Update on Joey Watkins Case: Part II

Last week, in a two-sentence decision, the powers that be again turned a blind eye to Joey Watkins’ quest for ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
Logo

June 2019 Update on Joey Watkins Case: Part I

Joey Watkins is innocent. You don’t have to take our word for it. Take the word of Dr. Paul Steffes, ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
Logo

Court Orders New Trial for Johnny Lee Gates

I am thrilled to report that a Muscogee County Court recently ordered that our client Johnny Lee Gates is entitled ...

OUR TOP TEN REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

OUR TOP TEN REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

Thanks for TEN. Because of your wonderful generosity, GIP now has TEN employees – including two new staff attorneys and ...

/ General
Wrongful Conviction Day 2018

Wrongful Conviction Day 2018

To most Americans, the scene is a familiar one: a person walks down the austere stone steps of a courthouse ...

/ General
When the State Loses or Destroys Key Evidence

When the State Loses or Destroys Key Evidence

When The State Loses Or Destroys Key Evidence... This week’s Undisclosed episode - “Mix Tape” - focuses on lost evidence ...

/ General
College Intern Q&A with Ashli McBride

College Intern Q&A with Ashli McBride

Ashli McBride, Junior at Georgia State University What did you learn about wrongful convictions and innocence work throughout the course of ...

/ General
Race and Wrongful Conviction

Race and Wrongful Conviction

RACE AND WRONGFUL CONVICTION  Muscogee County prosecutor's tally of jurors' race in late 1970s death penalty trial. In a few ...

/ General
Logo

October 2nd – Wrongful Conviction Day

Today, October 2nd is Wrongful Conviction Day, a day to spread awareness about the causes of false convictions and to ...

/ General
Joey Watkins / Undisclosed update: Trial Tapes Litigation

Joey Watkins / Undisclosed update: Trial Tapes Litigation

Remember during Season 2 of Undisclosed how you could listen to Mark Free’s trial audio, but every time the Undisclosed team ...

/ Case Update, Joey Watkins
Logo

How Alabama’s law on judicial override increases risk of executing the innocent

How Alabama’s law on judicial override increases risk of executing the innocent Two of the many great lawyers at the ...

/ General
Logo

An Undisclosed Adventure…and Cake

It has been an exciting and action-packed summer for the Georgia Innocence Project. As we continue to work hard on ...

/ General
inman

GIP Client May Die In Prison Despite DNA Evidence Proving Innocence

ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION                            February 29, 2016 Ga ...

/ General
Logo

A Record # of Exonerations in 2015, Including 2 GA Cases

From Aimee Maxwell I want to interrupt my previously scheduled blog post about the Googe exoneration to discuss the report ...

/ General
Michael Marshall release day

Investigating a CODIS hit

From Aimee Maxwell In my last blog entry I talked about CODIS hits. Quick reminder – CODIS hits are cases ...

/ General
Logo

What is CODIS and how can it identify innocence claims?

From Aimee Maxwell, GIP Executive Director First, sorry I’ve been MIA. Our office renovation is almost complete plus I received ...

/ General
Logo

A prosecutor, a scientist and a criminal defense lawyer walk into a bar….

Aimee Maxwell, Executive Director No, that’s not really how we created our groundbreaking partnership with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation ...

/ General
Logo

In response to last week’s AJC article about our federal grant

From Aimee Maxwell, Executive Director Last Thursday I was driving to work, looking forward to a fantastic day. That afternoon ...

Logo

GIP Client Wins Appeal

GIP has been working on Paul Tyner since 2003. In fact, he is case number 183. During our investigation we ...

/ General
GIP Exonerates Another Person

GIP Exonerates Another Person

Something to Celebrate! GIP Exonerates Another Georgia Man Through a first-in-the-nation initiative launched by the Georgia Innocence Project, we have ...

/ General
Logo

New Eyewitness Bill

2/23/2015 Today at the Georgia Legislature The Senate non-civil judiciary committee will be discussing SB 94, a bill to reform ...

/ General
Logo

Interns – We Can’t Survive Without Them

Interns – They are the best and, sometimes, the worst thing about being Executive Director of the Georgia Innocence Project ...

Logo

Bon Voyage to a Great Volunteer.

This past weekend, Melissa and I attended a going-away party for one of our volunteers, Apryl Davis. Apryl is joining ...

/ General
Holiday Card.2

Holiday Cards Inspire GIP

 We want to  share some holiday messages from our clients.  We are so touched by all of these letters and ...

/ General