Innocence Matters
Featured Cases
Troy Davis
Troy is the inspiration for Innocence Matters.
We are proud and honored to have had the opportunity to assist on the Troy Davis case - an innocent man on Georgia's death row. Since July 2007, Deirdre O'Connor has worked pro bono to help free Troy. Please visit the FreeTroyDavis site for additional information. Deirdre's work on Troy's case included drafting several amicus briefs filed in the Georgia Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court from 2007 through 2009. She also assisted in the grassroots advocacy campaign and engaged the broader legal community in the fight to save an innocent man. Deirdre maintains regular contact with Mr. Davis and is committed to seeing that he finds justice.
Miraculously and against all odds, on August 17, 2009, the United States Supreme Court brought Troy one step closer to justice when they finally ordered the District Court to hear Troy's evidence of innocence. Deirdre O'Connor drafted the NAACP amicus brief on this round. It is tremendous victory for all involved. And, yet, the joy is dampened by the reality that very few in the legal community thought the Court would intervene to save Troy. That alone tells us how far we have to go before we have a system that functions as it should.
Without question, there will be many forces at work to maintain the status quo. So we need everybody's help to keep the court honest and to see that Troy gets a fair hearing. Please contribute in whatever way you can.
Troy is the inspiration for Innocence Matters.
We are proud and honored to have had the opportunity to assist on the Troy Davis case - an innocent man on Georgia's death row. Since July 2007, Deirdre O'Connor has worked pro bono to help free Troy. Please visit the FreeTroyDavis site for additional information. Deirdre's work on Troy's case included drafting several amicus briefs filed in the Georgia Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court from 2007 through 2009. She also assisted in the grassroots advocacy campaign and engaged the broader legal community in the fight to save an innocent man. Deirdre maintains regular contact with Mr. Davis and is committed to seeing that he finds justice.
Miraculously and against all odds, on August 17, 2009, the United States Supreme Court brought Troy one step closer to justice when they finally ordered the District Court to hear Troy's evidence of innocence. Deirdre O'Connor drafted the NAACP amicus brief on this round. It is tremendous victory for all involved. And, yet, the joy is dampened by the reality that very few in the legal community thought the Court would intervene to save Troy. That alone tells us how far we have to go before we have a system that functions as it should.
Without question, there will be many forces at work to maintain the status quo. So we need everybody's help to keep the court honest and to see that Troy gets a fair hearing. Please contribute in whatever way you can.
Another Innocent Georgian Awaits Hearing
A right-handed black man with a medium complexion was convicted of a robbery committed by a left-handed man with a dark complexion. Another case of close enough in Georgia?
This man was detained within minutes of the robbery and his car was searched. He was not wearing clothing even remotely similar to that worn by the robber; nor were there any proceeds from the robbery found in his car or on his person.
The conviction was based on three faulty eyewitness identifications - the leading cause of wrongful convictions. The defense lawyer at trial, a twenty-year veteran, did not establish the discrepancies between the assailant and the defendant's physical appearance. Indeed, the jurors convicted the defendant without the defense making a passing reference to the fact that her client was right-handed!
There is far more that could be said about this case, but the matter is pending an evidentiary hearing and the AG has not publicly committed to a version of facts. For those reasons, we will refrain from outlining the most compelling proof of this indigent man's innocence.
He has been in custody since 2006 and is serving a 20 year sentence. His parents have borne the costs of their son's appeal, nearly $30,000 to date.
If you want to help defray the costs, please click the "donate" button below and your money will be earmarked for our work on this particular case.
A right-handed black man with a medium complexion was convicted of a robbery committed by a left-handed man with a dark complexion. Another case of close enough in Georgia?
This man was detained within minutes of the robbery and his car was searched. He was not wearing clothing even remotely similar to that worn by the robber; nor were there any proceeds from the robbery found in his car or on his person.
The conviction was based on three faulty eyewitness identifications - the leading cause of wrongful convictions. The defense lawyer at trial, a twenty-year veteran, did not establish the discrepancies between the assailant and the defendant's physical appearance. Indeed, the jurors convicted the defendant without the defense making a passing reference to the fact that her client was right-handed!
There is far more that could be said about this case, but the matter is pending an evidentiary hearing and the AG has not publicly committed to a version of facts. For those reasons, we will refrain from outlining the most compelling proof of this indigent man's innocence.
He has been in custody since 2006 and is serving a 20 year sentence. His parents have borne the costs of their son's appeal, nearly $30,000 to date.
If you want to help defray the costs, please click the "donate" button below and your money will be earmarked for our work on this particular case.
