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…
Read MoreJosh Tepfer featured on WGN9 – Chicago lawyer stands out for ability to overturn wrongful convictions
Check out this great story by WGN9’s Ray Cortopassi featuring EP attorney Josh Tepfer and two of his clients, Terrill Swift and Francisco Benitez! Mr. Swift was the first client who Josh exonerated back in 2012 with Northwestern Law School’s Center on Wrongful Convictions. Mr. Benitez is the client he’s most recently exonerated, in September of…
Read MorePatrick Taylor Exonerated After 16 Years Imprisoned in Case Marred by Egregious Misconduct
Yesterday, EP client Patrick Taylor was exonerated after spending 16 years wrongfully imprisoned in a case marred by egregious misconduct. Mr. Taylor was convicted of a 2006 murder almost based solely on mistaken eyewitness testimony. Over the past several years, Mr. Taylor caught the State withholding exculpatory evidence. In April 2023, the misconduct unraveled when…
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