Innocence Blog

Big Week for Innocence Network Clients

Posted: October 5, 2011 5:07 pm

It’s been a big week for Innocence Network clients, with five convictions being overturned in three days. 

After serving nearly 25 years for a murder he did not commit, Innocence Project client Michael Morton was released from a Texas prison Tuesday. His 1987 conviction was overturned because of new DNA evidence pointing to another man. We posted photos, videos and media coverage from his release a few minutes ago.

Tuesday also saw the release of Northern California Innocence Project client Obie Anthony, whose 1995 murder conviction was overturned after new evidence came to light that a critical witness lied to the jury. He served 17 years.

Additionally, Center on Wrongful Convictions client Jacques Rivera's  1988 murder conviction was thrown out in Chicago after the sole witness said he fingered the wrong person.

Rounding out the big day, Wisconsin Innocence Project client Brian Avery’s 1994 armed robbery conviction was overturned Tuesday after new evidence was presented that pointed toward problems with eyewitness identification and unreliable confessions.

After serving 25 years for a double murder conviction in Pennsylvania, David J. Munchinski was released on bond last Friday pending a possible retrial. The only evidence against him was witness testimony of a burglar that had been changed and recanted in interviews and court appearances that spanned a decade. The Innocence Institute at Point Park University has reported on Munchinski's case for years.

The Innocence Network is an affiliation of organizations dedicated to providing pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals seeking to prove innocence of crimes for which they have been convicted and working to redress the causes of wrongful convictions.