Georgia Innocence Project
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Innocence Project is a non-profit corporation based in Decatur
, Georgia
, United States
. Its mission "is to free the wrongly prosecuted through DNA testing, to advance practices that minimize the chances that others suffer the same fate, to educate the public that wrongful convictions are not rare or isolated events, and to help the exonerated rebuild their lives."
It was founded August 2002 by September Guy and Jill Polster, and is headed by Executive Director Aimee Maxwell. Cases that are accepted are assigned to a team of a volunteer lawyer and two interns. Four people have been exonerated by the organization's efforts, the first two being Clarence Harrison
in August, 2004, and Robert Clark in December, 2005.
On January 22, 2007, a third Georgia Innocence Project client, Pete Williams, was freed after spending 21 years in prison. In 1985, a jury convicted Williams for the rape of a Sandy Springs, Georgia
, woman. Williams was exonerated based upon DNA evidence. The organization's fourth successful case is that of John White, now 48, who was released from Macon State Prison
on December 10, 2007, after twenty-eight years in prison. Through the efforts of the Georgia Innocence Project, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation
(GBI) performed DNA testing that proves Mr. White is innocent of the August 1979 rape, aggravated assault, burglary and robbery for an attack on an elderly woman in Meriwether County, Georgia
.
The current president of the Georgia Innocence Project is Richard Dolder
Decatur
Decatur is the name of many places in the United States, most of which are named for Stephen Decatur, a U.S. Naval officer at the turn of the 19th century.- Cities, Towns, Villages :* Decatur, Alabama, county seat of Morgan County, Alabama...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its mission "is to free the wrongly prosecuted through DNA testing, to advance practices that minimize the chances that others suffer the same fate, to educate the public that wrongful convictions are not rare or isolated events, and to help the exonerated rebuild their lives."
It was founded August 2002 by September Guy and Jill Polster, and is headed by Executive Director Aimee Maxwell. Cases that are accepted are assigned to a team of a volunteer lawyer and two interns. Four people have been exonerated by the organization's efforts, the first two being Clarence Harrison
Clarence Harrison
Clarence Harrison was wrongly convicted in 1987 for the kidnapping, rape and robbery of a 25 year-old-woman in Decatur, Georgia. He is the first person exonerated through the work of the Georgia Innocence Project....
in August, 2004, and Robert Clark in December, 2005.
On January 22, 2007, a third Georgia Innocence Project client, Pete Williams, was freed after spending 21 years in prison. In 1985, a jury convicted Williams for the rape of a Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
, woman. Williams was exonerated based upon DNA evidence. The organization's fourth successful case is that of John White, now 48, who was released from Macon State Prison
Macon State Prison
Macon State Prison is located in Oglethorpe, Georgia on approximately . It was constructed in 1993 and opened in 1994. It is a close security prison, meaning it is a very high security prison...
on December 10, 2007, after twenty-eight years in prison. Through the efforts of the Georgia Innocence Project, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation or GBI is an independent, U.S. state of Georgia agency that provides assistance to the state's criminal justice system in the areas of criminal investigations, forensic laboratory services and computerized criminal justice information.-Organization:The agency is...
(GBI) performed DNA testing that proves Mr. White is innocent of the August 1979 rape, aggravated assault, burglary and robbery for an attack on an elderly woman in Meriwether County, Georgia
Meriwether County, Georgia
Meriwether County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 14, 1827. As of 2000, the population was 22,534. The 2009 Census Estimate reflects a population of 22,783...
.
The current president of the Georgia Innocence Project is Richard Dolder