California Innocence Project Information and Link

arhunt — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:22:33 GMT

Freeing the Innocent

One of the most exciting and significant accomplishments for California Western School of Law over the past several years is the success of the California Innocence Project. Since the project’s inception, California Western professors and students have spent countless hours reinvestigating cases and filing briefs on behalf of long-forgotten inmates who maintain their innocence.

The California Innocence Project's Wrongfully Convicted Clients

Timothy Atkins! - Timothy Atkins’ conviction was overturned Feb. 8, 2007 by Los Angeles Judge Michael Tynan who declared that "the State has no interest in upholding a conviction obtained by false testimony." Attorneys with the California Innocence Project presented new evidence, including a witness who recanted her trial testimony, proving Atkins' innocence. He was released from the L.A. County Jail Friday, Feb. 9, after spending more than two decades behind bars. READ MORE about Timothy Atkins case. SEE PHOTOS from Atkins release.

Timothy Atkins (center) celebrates his release from prison with his attorneys (left to right): Professor Justin Brooks, LL.M. student Wendy Koen, Professor Jan Stiglitz, and CIP Litigation Coordinator Alex Simpson.

The California Innocence Project is a clinical program at California Western School of Law in San Diego dedicated to the release of wrongfully convicted inmates. While providing an outstanding educational experience for students and serving as a check on the California justice system, the project’s goal is to seek any and all ethical and legal avenues for the release of the wrongfully convicted.

California Innocence Project Quick Facts:

The project was founded in 2000 as part of the national network of Innocence Projects.

Project’s faculty and students review more than 1,000 claims of innocence each year.

Four California Innocence Project clients have been released since 2003.

Each year 10-12 California Western students participate in the clinic and review about 200 cases through a prescreening process.

When there is strong evidence of innocence, law students assist in investigating cases, writing briefs, and advocating for the release of the project’s clients.

The project recently established the Hawaii Innocence Project.

Freeing the Innocent –
California Innocence Project Wins Freedom for four Wrongfully Convicted Men:

Kenneth Marsh – freed after serving 21 years in prison for second-degree murder he did not commit. New evidence proved previous medical testimony was faulty.

John Stoll – wrongfully convicted for 17 counts of child molestation; he spent 20 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. Witnesses recanted testimony 20 years after trial.

Adam Riojas – freed after serving 13 years in prison for second-degree murder that he did not commit. His father, who is physically similar to his son, was the real killer.

Jason Kindle – wrongfully convicted for armed robbery; he spent more than two years in prison for a robbery that a crime-scene video proved he did not commit.

"We had faith that each one of these men was 100 percent innocent, and the many hours of work we put in on these cases finally paid off. No law school experiences can match watching your client walk out of prison a free man." -Justin Brooks, Executive Director

California Western School of Law
225 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA 92101
619-239-0391
Fax: 619-525-7092