The Center for Law, Justice & Culture and Students for Law, Justice & Culture have been involved in the Ohio Innocence Project for two years and continue to work together in meaningful discussions about the criminal justice system.
The Innocence Project is an organization committed to exonerating those wrongfully incarcerated in the criminal justice system.
The Ohio Innocence Project has successfully exonerated 23 individuals and the national organization has exonerated over 250 individuals. The Ohio Innocence Project is based at the The Rosenthal Institute for Justice in the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
The project describes how it are able to free people from incarceration: “Innocence is often determined by DNA testing, but can include other types of new evidence such as new witnesses, new expert testimony, or evidence of police misconduct. Once an inmate’s innocence has been established through investigation, the OIP sends the case back to court and litigates in the hope of obtaining the inmate’s freedom.”
Ohio University is a member of OIP-u, the university chapters of the Ohio Innocence Project.
The relationship between OIP and the Center for Law, Justice & Culture has comprised multiple events, including Wrongful Conviction Day.
In 2014, exonerees Dean Gillespie and Ricky Jackson came to Ohio University along with OIP founder Mark Godsey. They spoke to students, faculty, and community members about their experiences and the efforts of the Ohio Innocence Project.
Selina Nadeau, Ohio University’s OIP Student Liaison, speaks passionately about her experiences with OIP.
“Exonerating wrongfully convicted people is just a small part of the criminal justice reform that we as a student organization have tried to involve ourselves in in the last few years. We are thrilled to be able to play a small role in the great work done by organizations like OIP.”
Students interested in getting involved can come to Students for Law, Justice & Culture meetings on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Center for Law, Justice & Culture or contact Nadeau at sn227512@ohio.edu.
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