Washington Innocence Project
“If one really wishes to know how justice is administered in a country, one does not question the policemen, the lawyers, the judges, or the protected members of the middle class. One goes to the unprotected — those, precisely, who need the law’s protection most! — and listens to their testimony.” — James Baldwin
Randy Henderson (26 years)
The original Innocence Project was founded in 1992 by two criminal defense attorneys, Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld. It began as part of a legal clinic at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City to help people who had been convicted of crimes they did not commit. Though still affiliated with the law school, the Innocence Project has been an independent nonprofit since 2003.
Many states are affiliated with the Innocence Project and Kim Cronin, a dear friend to KABF, serves on the board of the Washington Innocence Project (WashIP) located in Seattle. Inspired by New York’s Innocence Project, WashIP was started by Jackie McMurtrie in 1997 when she was working as a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Law. WashIP’s mission is “to free the innocent through litigation and other forms of advocacy, provide support to the wrongly convicted as they rebuild their lives in freedom, and prevent future injustices through education and policy reform.” When WashIP was formed, it was the third organization modeled off the Innocence Project. Though WashIP is now independent of the law school, its mission remains the same.
WashIP Executive and Policy Director Lara Zarowsky was thrilled to share with KABF their successes: "Through the work of our dedicated staff, students, and pro bono partners, along with the generous support of our donors, Washington Innocence Project has exonerated 15 men and women—and secured the freedom of an additional 4—who collectively served 276 years incarcerated and on conditions of release for crimes they did not commit. Our efforts to improve the criminal legal system in Washington State and support our Freed Family following release have led to important reforms and new laws for better eyewitness identification procedures, preservation of crime scene evidence, access to post-conviction DNA testing, and a mandate that law enforcement record interrogations. We led advocacy efforts for the law intended to compensate exonerees for every year they lost their lives serving time for a crime they didn’t commit."
Many states are affiliated with the Innocence Project and Kim Cronin, a dear friend to KABF, serves on the board of the Washington Innocence Project (WashIP) located in Seattle. Inspired by New York’s Innocence Project, WashIP was started by Jackie McMurtrie in 1997 when she was working as a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Law. WashIP’s mission is “to free the innocent through litigation and other forms of advocacy, provide support to the wrongly convicted as they rebuild their lives in freedom, and prevent future injustices through education and policy reform.” When WashIP was formed, it was the third organization modeled off the Innocence Project. Though WashIP is now independent of the law school, its mission remains the same.
WashIP Executive and Policy Director Lara Zarowsky was thrilled to share with KABF their successes: "Through the work of our dedicated staff, students, and pro bono partners, along with the generous support of our donors, Washington Innocence Project has exonerated 15 men and women—and secured the freedom of an additional 4—who collectively served 276 years incarcerated and on conditions of release for crimes they did not commit. Our efforts to improve the criminal legal system in Washington State and support our Freed Family following release have led to important reforms and new laws for better eyewitness identification procedures, preservation of crime scene evidence, access to post-conviction DNA testing, and a mandate that law enforcement record interrogations. We led advocacy efforts for the law intended to compensate exonerees for every year they lost their lives serving time for a crime they didn’t commit."
Ken Hovland (40 years) and Heidi Goodwin (8.5 years)
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As Zarawsky told KABF, “Ken Hovland was released from prison following 40 years of wrongful conviction from Snohomish County in exchange for an Alford Plea." One of their former exonerated clients, Heidi Goodwin, is now on staff in the position of Community Support Coordinator. Goodwin spent 8.5 years in prison for a crime she did not commit. She works with clients to prepare them for when they are released. As Zarawsky told KABF, “Heidi has supported two of our freed clients since beginning her position 18 months ago: Ken Hovland was released from prison following 40 years of wrongful conviction from Snohomish County in exchange for an Alford Plea. Randy Henderson was released in September 2022 following 26 years of wrongful conviction from Cowlitz County when the trial court granted our motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence of his innocence.” For more information, visit their website: https://wainnocenceproject.org |
