IN THE NEWS
the latest
The Supreme Court of Virginia upholds the circuit court decision granting Gilbert Merritt a writ of habeas corpus and vacating his murder conviction.
Innocence Project at UVA School of Law helps obtain $6.25 million in compensation for exonerated clients.
Founder Deirdre Enright and Director Jenny Givens win UVA’s Collaborative Excellence in Public Service Award.
NBC29 covered UVAIP’s April 20, 2022, fundraiser, which featured a panel with six of our recently-released and/or exonerated clients, along with Juliet Hatchett, Jenny Givens, and Deirdre Enright.
10 On Your Side on Lamar Barnes’ absolute pardon, including an interview with Director Jenny Givens (January 8, 2022).
John Grisham, for the Washington Post, on three recent absolute pardons granted to our clients and reforms to Virginia’s criminal justice system that could prevent wrongful convictions.
Washingtonian on Emerson Stevens’ absolute pardon (August 16, 2021):
“Upon careful deliberation and review of all the information and circumstances of the matter, I have decided it is just and appropriate to grant this absolute pardon that reflects Mr. Stevens’ innocence of Abduction with Intent to Defile and First-Degree Murder, for which he was convicted on July 12, 1986.”
Richmond Times Dispatch on Mr. Stevens’ absolute pardon (August 16, 2021).
Stevens said: “I spent more than 31 years in prison for a murder that I didn’t commit. From the first moment I was questioned about the death of Mary Harding, I swore again and again that I was innocent and never touched Mary Harding.”
Joey Carter is granted an absolute pardon (August 11, 2021).
10 On Your Side on Joey Carter and Bobbie Morman’s pardons (August 16, 2021).
The Virginian-Pilot on Bobbie Morman’s absolute pardon (July 20, 2021):
“It seemed so incredible to us that Bobbie was ever convicted in the first place,” Givens said. “This is yet another tragic example of the unreliability of eyewitness identifications. We’re relieved and grateful that Gov. Northam granted the absolute pardon, but we remain troubled by how long this process took.”
CBS19 News on Mr. Morman’s case (with video, July 22, 2021):
“Everybody involved in the crime admitted at the time of trial and before that Bobbie Morman had nothing to do with this, and so what we know undeniably is that eyewitness identifications are unreliable and faulty and are the leading cause of wrongful convictions in this country,” [Givens] said.
Journalist Brad Zinn of the News Leader has written four detailed articles on client Rojai Fentress’s story, including his recent 2020 release:
Journalist Frank Green of the Richmond Times-Dispatch has also written on Rojai’s case:
podcasts
Listen to student Casey Schmidt discuss what it’s like to be part of the Innocence Project Clinic at UVA Law.
Listen to Emerson Stevens on the podcast “Wrongful Conviction: False Confessions”. The episode explores how Emerson came to falsely inculpate himself in a murder.
Listen to Messiah Johnson on the podcast “Wrongful Conviction,” describing the events that led to a 132-year prison sentence and how the UVA Innocence Project helped free him.
Listen to Darnell Phillips tells his story on the podcast “Wrongful Conviction.” Darnell served 28 years for the rape of a young girl, a crime he did not commit.
Listen to founder Deirdre Enright and author John Grisham on the podcast “Common Law,” discussing innocence issues.
Watch founder Deirdre Enright discuss her experience on the podcast “Serial,” on which she discussed the clinic’s investigation into Adnan Syed’s case.
Watch founder Deirdre Enright deliver a TedX talk about Messiah Johnsons’s wrongful conviction.
Above, founder Deirdre Enright and author John Grisham appear on the podcast “Common Law.”