There are two events this Saturday, Oct 26th, which Proving Innocence thinks you should be aware of and consider participating in. Anyone wanting to get involved in the fight against wrongful convictions will find different people and approaches. This is an opportunity to find a way to plug in and get involved. 

One is the Wrongful Conviction Unity Walk and Rally, with the walk from 10 to 11 and the rally from 11 to 1. It will be held at the Wayne County Community College campus in Belleville, MI and is sponsored by Survivor's Speak, the same group that held the Wrongful Conviction Summit July 20th. For more information, click here.

The other is the Prosecutor Accountability Campaign Agenda Process. This will be a meeting to finalize plans for the 2020 Prosecutor Accountability agenda. It will be held from 11 am to 4 pm (including lunch). The promoters, MILiberation.org, has a broad agenda for community justice in MI. The focus of this particular work deals with a major issue concerning wrongful convictions: prosecutorial accountability. For more information and registration, click here.

Federal Grants Support Search for Innocence

The U..S. Department of Justice has recently announced grants to support Michigan's two Innocence Projects in cooperation with the Michigan Attorney General's Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) in their pursuit to learn the truth. Both have to do with improved forensic science.

"The Michigan Department of Attorney General received $734,930 from the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence grant and WMU-Cooley Law School received $274,960 from the Upholding the Rule of Law grant. The grants support reviewing criminal convictions, improving the integrity of the criminal justice system, and ensuring the consistent application of due process of law."

A similar grant of $275,000 was given to the University of Michigan Innocence Clinic to help litigate forensic science cases. 

Click on the school name to read the respective article.

        Western Michigan Article                       University of Michigan Article

How can we correct the system so innocent people do not continue to be sent to prison due to junk science?

All this comes at a time when the Michigan legislature is working to create a Forensic Science Commission that would oversee the application of forensic science in our criminal justice system. The grants earlier mentioned are a direct result of the questionable application of forensic science which has put thousands of people into prison unjustly. You can get an overview by reading the FreePress Opinion article Michigan needs state-based forensic science commission. You can read the current form of the bills and their analysis in House Bill 6026 and Senate Bill 276.

We encourage you to be informed and to contact your Michigan Representative and Senator. Express your desire to see Michigan oversee the application of forensic science in our criminal justice system. It has put too many innocent people in prison!

Who is my Michigan House Representative?

Who is my Michigan Senator?

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