The Illinois Innocence Project, a member of the national Innocence Project network, is a non-profit legal organization that works to exonerate wrongfully convicted people and reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.
The national Innocence Project was founded by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld in 1992.
Founding
The Illinois Innocence Project, formally known as the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, was founded in 2001 by Larry Golden, Nancy Ford, and Bill Clutter. The Project is housed in the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Current staff
The current staff of the Illinois Innocence Project are: John J. Hanlon, Executive and Legal Director Larry Golden, Founding Director Gwen Jordan, Staff Attorney Lauren Kaeseberg, Staff Attorney
Exonerees
The Illinois Innocence Project's work has led to the exonerations of many wrongfully convicted prisoners in Illinois.
Keith Harris (2003)
Keith Harris, the first inmate helped by the Illinois Innocence Project, was wrongfully convicted and spent 22 years in prison despite the lack of physical evidence tying him to the crime, as well as being misidentified by the victim after seven line-ups in which he appeared. Following Keith's conviction, Girvies Davis and Richard Holman confessed to the crime, and the investigation resulted in new ballistics evidence that supported his innocence.
In 2003, Keith received a full pardon from then Governor Ryan. Keith's pardon is a full pardon, based on actual innocence. His criminal record was expunged.
Julie Rea Harper (2006)
On October 13, 1997, Julie Rea-Harper's 10-year-old son, Joel, was stabbed to death in the middle of the night by an intruder in the small town of Lawrenceville, Illinois.
Though she had no apparent motive, Julie was indicted on Oct. 12, 2000 on capital murder charges by a special prosecutor. The prosecution's case rested largely on the testimony of bloodstain pattern analysis experts analyzing a very small amount of blood found on Rea Harper's shirt. Another bloodstain pattern analysis expert called by the defense disputed this interpretation. Defended by a lone public defender and outmatched by three opposing prosecutors, Julie was convicted on March 4, 2002, and sentenced to serve 65 years in prison.
On October 24, 2003, the Illinois Innocence Project presented compelling evidence corroborating the confession of Tommy Lynn Sells. The defense's forensic consultant also disputed the testimony of the prosecution's bloodstain pattern analysis expert, stating that there was no scientific basis for his claims. Rea Harper also testified in her own defense.
As she was set to take her first step out of prison, prosecutors re-arrested Julie, ignoring overwhelming evidence that she was innocent. Supporters quickly rallied and raised $75,000 in less than a week's time to secure her release on bond. Instead of seeking justice as new Supreme Court rules require, prosecutors sought to convict her again.
On July 26, 2006, a jury in Carlyle found Julie not guilty of killing her son.
Herb Whitlock (2008)
On July 6, 1986, newlyweds Dyke and Karen Rhoades were repeatedly stabbed and murdered and their home was set on fire in Paris, Illinois. In 1987, Herbert Whitlock and Randy Steidl were arrested and convicted based on the testimony of Deborah Reinbolt and Darrell Herrington.
While Randy Steidl was convicted on both murder counts, Herb was convicted of only killing Karen. Randy received the death penalty, while Herb received a life sentence. Both men continued to claim their innocence.
In 2000, because of new evidence, the Illinois State Police reopened the case, assigning Lt. Michale Callahan to head the investigation. Callahan found numerous inconsistencies and evidence of misconduct that ultimately led him to conclude that the wrong men had been convicted of the murders. When he reported back to his superiors, he was told that the case was "too politically sensitive" and to drop the investigation. His story can be read in his book, Too Politically Sensitive. Both Herb and Randy continued to pursue appeals and were repeatedly denied until Randy's case was heard by a federal court judge, who ordered a new trial. After intensive review of Randy's case, Attorney General Lisa Madigan dropped all charges against him and he was released in May 2004. Whitlock was released in January 2008.
Jonathan Moore (2012)