The state that’s probably in most need of an Innocence Project chapter finally has one. Funded in part (I’m told) with money from novelist John Grisham, the project is headquartered at the University of Mississippi’s Law School in Oxford. It’s still in need of funding, though. So it’s hosting a fundraiser in Jackson on October 22.

If you’re interested in attending, here’s the pitch letter:

Dear Friend:

I would like to introduce you to the newly formed Innocence Project of Mississippi–based here at the University of Mississippi Law School–as well as introduce myself. The Innocence Project is committed to providing the highest quality legal representation to its clients: Mississippi state prisoners serving significant periods of incarceration who have cognizable claims of wrongful conviction. In addition, the Project seeks to identify systemic problems in Mississippi’s criminal justice system, develop initiatives designed to raise public and political awareness of the prevalence, causes and societal costs of wrongful convictions, to promote meaningful criminal justice reform. During the fall of 2007 the Project will be
getting settled in its office here at the Law School, identifying and investigating potential cases, and developing the means to accommodate additional staff and students. By January of 2008 – spring semester — the Project will be an integral part of the Law School’s course offerings, and students – law and journalism, among others — will have the opportunity to participate as members of the Project.

Through the efforts of the Law School, as well as individuals throughout Mississippi and nationally, we are extraordinarily fortunate to be able to start a project here. As many of you no doubt already know, there is a desperate need for these types of centers and the kind of representation and outreach that they provide. The benefits are incalculable. Not only have over two hundred wrongfully convicted men and women been freed from prisons and jails as a direct result of these centers’ efforts, but the sheer number of exonerations and the attendant discussions about these cases provide irrefutable proof that wrongful convictions are not aberrant events but instead a byproduct of systemic defects in our criminal justice system. Exacerbating the problem here in Mississippi are seemingly intractable socioeconomic problems, a scarcity of state resources, and an environment that, like so much of our country, is reflexively opposed to any outreach to convicted felons, no matter how meritorious the claim. With the exception of the National Innocence Project and the Innocence Project of New Orleans, Mississippi state prisoners with valid claims are simply languishing in Parchman Penitentiary, among other places.

On October 22, 2007, in Jackson, Mississippi, the Project is having its inaugural fundraising dinner, hosted by Ole Miss Law School Alum John Grisham, along with his friend and colleague, author Scott Turow. John and Scott, among their many other accomplishments, have been leaders in the areas of wrongful conviction and national
criminal justice issues. They will be there to discuss the importance of the movement generally, and this Project in particular. We are honored to have them. Tickets for the evening ($125.00 per person) may be purchased by contacting Renee Van Slyke at (662) 915- 6822 or reneevan@olemiss.edu. Firms and organizations who would like to purchase multiple tickets or tables should also contact Ms Van Slyke.

For those of you who would like to be of additional help, or who cannot be present at the dinner, the Project would simply reiterate that but for the generosity of people and foundations who make donations, and the interns, volunteers and pro bono attorneys here in Mississippi and nationally who devote their time, the Project would not exist. We therefore not only welcome and deeply appreciate any help you might be able to offer, we rely on it. To make a donation to the Project, contact Tim Walsh, Associate Dean for Development, at (662) 915-7375 or tim@olemiss.edu. Thanks to the Law School, the Project is able to keep its overhead to a bare minimum. The items listed immediately below should give you some sense of the costs associated with running this Project:

• Police report — $25
• Case file copying costs — $250
• Five prison trips to visit clients — $500
• Single DNA test — $4,000
• Average investigation/travel costs per case — $10,000
• Full-time investigator salary per year — $35,000
• Staff attorney salary per year — $40,000

Thank you in advance for your interest and support.

Sincerely,

W. Tucker Carrington
Director
Mississippi Innocence Project
University of Mississippi School of Law
P.O. Box 1848
University, MS 38677-1848
(662) 915-5207

I spoke with Carrington a couple of weeks ago. He said he’s a bit overwhelmed by what’s he found in just a little over a month on the job. That’s pretty much been my experience wile poking around down there the last few years, too. Sorry to say, that much of what you hear about the state is still true (keep reading this site for much more to come from Mississippi).

I can’t make the fundraising dinner, but I do plan to make a donation. If you’re interested in criminal justice reform, the Innocence Project is really the safest donation you could make. There’s nothing overtly political about what they do. Their mission is to identify wrongfully convicted people, and get them out of prison. Hard to find much fault with that.

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