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Wrong Convictions Spur Florida to Rethink Using Jail Informants
After the release of a man that was wrongfully convicted of a murder, Florida’s Innocence Commission is rethinking the use of jailhouse informants in their felony cases. The man, Chad Heins, spent 11 years in prison for a murder he was innocent of — his conviction was almost solely based on the
Injustice in Murder Cases
According to a new study recently published by the RAND Corporation, just providing an indigent defendant a lawyer is not enough to “obtain justice”. The issues that directly affect the outcome include: whether the lawyer assigned is screened for quality, whether they are trained to handle the client’s type of case,
Prosecutorial Misconduct and a DNA Exoneration in Texas
After spending 25 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Michael Morton was exonerated last month in Texas through the use of DNA evidence. In their attempt to prove Mr. Morton’s innocence, attorneys found evidence in court records that the prosecutor from his original trial had withheld critical evidence
The Arizona Justice Project is Appearing Before the U.S. Supreme Court
Bob Bartels, faculty advisor for the Arizona Justice Project, takes the important issue of post-conviction review to the United States Supreme Court. – Question Presented: Whether a defendant in a state criminal case – who cannot raise an ineffective assistance of trial counsel claim (IATC) on direct appeal but must
Understanding the Causes of Wrongful Convictions
Below, you’ll find an interactive resource courtesy of the Innocence Project in New York about the causes of wrongful convictions: The Innocence Project has also released a chart on the DNA exonerations that have occurred throughout the nation in which convictions were obtained involving unvalidated or improper forensic testing. Read more about 166
New Jersey Supreme Court Issues Landmark Decision Mandating Major Changes in the Way Courts Handle Identification Procedures
Relying on Scientific Research on Memory and Identification, Court Says Standard Set by U.S. Supreme Court 30 Years Ago Must Be Revised Contact: Paul Cates, 212-364-5346, cell 917-566-1294, pcates@innocenceproject.org (Trenton, NJ – August 24, 2011) — Today the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a landmark decision requiring major changes in
Articles

Why an Arizona man is asking President Joe Biden for clemency
Written by Jimmy Jenkins, Arizona RepublicOriginally published Dec. 6th, 2024 An Arizona man is seeking clemency from President Joe Biden. Joseph Fuentes, 48, has applied for a commutation of his sentence with the support of the Arizona Justice Project. In 2001, Fuentes was serving an eight-year sentence at the federal

Arizona man sentenced to 292 years for nonviolent crimes released from prison
Written by Jimmy Jenkins, Arizona RepublicOriginally published Sept. 20th, 2024 After serving 10 years of a 292-year sentence for nonviolent offenses, an Arizona man has been released from prison. Atdom Patsalis, who was recently granted clemency and sentenced to home arrest, was greeted by family and supporters as he walked

‘This is a rebirth’: Arizona man given 292 years for nonviolent crimes gets clemency
Written by Jimmy Jenkins, Arizona RepublicOriginally published Sept. 6th, 2024 The sentence was so long, even the judge had a hard time believing it. “Mr. Patsalis, I don’t know if you were doing the math, but I have sentenced you to 292 years in prison,” Judge Pro Tempore Billy K.

AZ Clemency Board Grants AJP Client Release After 292 Year Sentence!
This week, the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency granted release to our client, Atdom Patsalis, who had originally been sentenced to 292 years.

Arizona Justice Project Executive Director Wins Award!
We are proud to announce that Arizona Justice Project Executive Director, Lindsay Herf, is the 2024 recipient of the Learned Hand Emerging Leadership Award! Lindsay has been practicing law for more than 15 years. Twelve of those years have been with the Arizona Justice Project, representing wrongfully convicted individuals and those who have suffered a manifest injustice.

Arizona Justice Project’s 2024 Annual Gala
The Arizona Justice Project will be having its annual gala, One Injustice Is One Too Many, on March 1, 2024 at the Scottsdale Resort and Spa. The event will honor Arizona Justice Project freed and exonerated clients as well as the dedicated people behind the scenes working to free the