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Exoneration Project Clinic—Significant Achievements for 2023-24

Over the course of 2023-2024, the Exoneration Project (EP) continued its pursuit of securing freedom for wrongfully convicted individuals across the United States. This included litigation in state and federal courts, petitions for clemency, and many other forms of advocacy on behalf of our clients. Students were once again pivotal in the successes the EP attained this year. They participated in all aspects of post-conviction litigation, including oral arguments, presenting witness testimony, preparing witnesses to testify, researching and drafting pleadings, investigation, and visiting clients in prison.

Exonerations

The Exoneration Project succeeded in exonerating a significant number of clients over the past year, reuniting wrongfully convicted men and women with their families.

  • Jimmy Soto (served forty-two years of a life sentence). Jimmy and his co-defendant were longest wrongfully incarcerated people in Illinois history. Students helped to prepare Jimmy’s case for hearing, drafted motions, and reviewed discovery.
  • Leonard Logan (served nineteen years of a forty-five-year sentence). Students presented witness testimony at an evidentiary hearing on Leonard’s federal habeas petition and were critical members of the team at every stage.
  • Frank Drew (served twenty-four years of a sixty-year sentence). Clinic students helped investigate Frank’s case, prepare court filings, made oral arguments in court, and presented witness testimony during a contested evidentiary hearing.
  • Anthony Robinson (served eleven years of a fifty-five-year sentence). Clinic students investigated Anthony’s claims and drafted Anthony’s post-conviction petition that led to his exoneration.
  • Francisco Benitez (served thirty-four years of a life sentence).
  • Patrick Taylor (served sixteen years of a life sentence).
  • Darien Harris (served twelve years of a seventy-six-year sentence).
  • Harold Staten (served thirty-eight years of a life sentence).
  • Frank Burrell (served twenty years of a thirty-two-year sentence).
  • Charles “CJ” Rice (served thirteen years of a thirty-to-sixty-year sentence).
  • Louis Robinson (served twenty-seven years of a sixty-year sentence).
  • Jonathan Long.
  • Dwayne Pennant.
  • Sean Farrow.
  • Jaquan Harris.
  • Joseph Roberts.

Parole Granted

  • Bernard McKinley (granted parole after serving twenty years of an originally 100-year sentence). Benard was sentenced to 100 years in prison at just sixteen years old. He earned his Bachelor’s degree while incarcerated and will be starting law school in the fall.
  • Edward Prendez (served thirty-six years of a ninety-nine-year sentence).

Certificates of Innocence

The Exoneration Project sought judicial declarations that clients who were previously exonerated were, in fact, innocent. At least three Exoneration Project clients were awarded such certificates over the past year.

  • Sean Tyler. Over the years, about a dozen Clinic students worked on Sean’s case. Most recently, Clinic students helped draft a Certificate of Innocence petition and assisted in the litigation of that petition in court.
  • Eruby Abrego. Clinic students drafted Eruby’s innocence petition and helped litigate the matter at a contested, but successful, evidentiary hearing.
  • Richard Kwil.