Last week, our client Benard McKinley was granted parole after spending 22 years in prison. While incarcerated, Benard devoted himself to studying and growing. He became certified as a paralegal and earned his GED in 2011. He was selected as one of 40 students to take part in Northwestern’s Prison Education Program, a groundbreaking program…
Read MoreFrank Drew Exonerated After 24 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated
On March 12, EP client Frank Drew was exonerated after spending 24 years wrongfully incarcerated for a 1996 homicide that he did not commit. Mr. Drew’s conviction was vacated and he was released following an evidentiary hearing in 2022, but he faced retrial for two years until the charges against him were dropped in March….
Read MoreC.J. Rice Exonerated After 12 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated
This morning, C.J. Rice was exonerated after spending 12 years incarcerated for a 2011 Philadelphia shooting that left four people injured. His case has received national attention since CNN Chief Correspondent Jake Tapper began reporting on the story in fall 2022, culminating in a 2022 piece for The Atlantic: “My Father’s Quest to Free C.J….
Read MoreFrank Burrell Exonerated After 20 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated
On Tuesday, March 5th, EP client Frank Burrell was exonerated after spending some 20 years wrongfully incarcerated and after years of hard-fought litigation, including facing retrial for the last four years after the Court of Appeals vacated Mr. Burrell’s conviction and ordered his release in 2019. The process was difficult. Mr. Burrell had to fight…
Read MoreSeven Survivors of CPD Det. Guevara’s Misconduct File Court Petitions to Overturn Their Convictions
Today, seven men filed petitions seeking to reverse their decades-old convictions tied to disgraced former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara. The men—who have completed their sentences and are out of custody—all claim their innocence. Their post-conviction petitions are linked for your reference below (at each client’s name). The seven men are as follows: Jayson Aguiar,…
Read MoreWinter 2024 Newsletter
Harold Staten Exonerated After 38 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated
Congratulations to Harold Staten on his exoneration yesterday! Mr. Staten was exonerated and released from the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville, PA last night after spending nearly 38 years imprisoned for a crime that never occurred. EP Attorney Amelia Maxfield represents Mr. Staten with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and pro bono attorneys from…
Read MoreGuest Blog Post: Did the South Win the Civil War?
In attorney Josh Tepfer’s daughter’s AP U.S. History course, her teacher had the students conduct a trial to determine who really won the Civil War. Olive, representing the position that the South actually won, got tasked with making the closing argument. Here is her argument, re-purposed as a guest blog post. Olive Tepfer, age 16 …
Read MoreDarien Harris Exonerated 12 Years After Being Convicted Based on Blind Eyewitness’s Testimony
We are so excited to be able to say that on December 19, 2023, prosecutors decided not to move forward with a retrial against Mr. Harris and dropped all charges, thereby exonerating him. We applaud Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office for continuing their review of Mr. Harris’s case and ensuring that…
Read MoreJimmy Soto Exonerated, Becomes Longest Wrongfully Incarcerated Person in Illinois History
On December 14, 2023, EP client Jimmy Soto was exonerated after spending 42 years wrongfully incarcerated. Jimmy was exonerated alongside his cousin and co-defendant David Ayala – the men are now the longest wrongfully incarcerated persons in Illinois state history. They were convicted at ages 20 and 18 respectively of murders in which no physical…
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