Weinberg at helm of state Innocence Project
The Daily Inter Lake
State Sen. Dan Weinberg, D-Whitefish, has founded the Montana Innocence Project, a Missoula-based nonprofit organization dedicated to exonerating innocent Montana inmates and preventing wrongful convictions.
The organization already has begun examining innocence claims. A group of community leaders throughout the state, including current and former public officials, attorneys, journalists and professors, helped Weinberg set up the project.
"We all share the common goal of promoting justice in our great state, and the Montana Innocence Project is an important part of the checks and balances, ensuring that innocent people aren't sitting behind bars," said Weinberg, president of the project's board of directors and a longtime advocate of social justice.
The Montana Innocence Project is the first organization dedicated to examining wrongful convictions in Montana, but it joins a growing national movement.
To date, 223 innocent Americans - including three in Montana -have been exonerated by DNA evidence, and 17 of these people had been sentenced to death before DNA proved their innocence.
The bulk of this work has been accomplished by innocence projects established across the country that combine the efforts of college students, attorneys, journalists and others to investigate and litigate credible innocence claims, Weinberg said in a press release.
Jessie McQuillan will serve as executive director of the Montana effort.
With an active board of directors, a cadre of volunteers and a generous gift from Weinberg and the Angora Ridge Foundation, the Montana Innocence Project will provide free investigative and legal assistance to Montanans with credible claims of innocence.
These efforts are spearheaded through the Innocence Clinic being established in cooperation with the University of Montana Schools of Journalism and Law.
Journalism students began working with the project in September and law students are expected to join in fall 2009.
The project also is committed to preventing wrongful convictions from occurring in the first place. Advocates for public-policy reforms will work to improve the criminal justice system and educate policy-makers.
Flathead County representatives on the project's board of directors include Whitefish attorneys Frank Sweeney (board vice president), Paula Sweeney and Parker Kelly and retired U.S. Magistrate Bart Erickson.
The Montana Innocence Project examines claims of innocence raised by Montana inmates or referred by attorneys.
While some projects only accept cases where DNA evidence is available to prove or disprove innocence, the Montana project also will consider cases where DNA evidence is not available. Those seeking assistance should make a written request that details their case and conviction as well as evidence that could establish their innocence.
To be eligible for consideration, people must have been convicted of a felony in Montana, completed their direct appeals, and not have access to state-appointed public defenders.
The paramount question in screening and investigation is whether someone is actually innocent of the crime for which he or she has been convicted.
The organization will not take on a case until it is convinced that an innocence claim is credible.
For more information go to www.mtinnocenceproject.org or call McQuillan at (406) 544-6698.