Georgia Innocence Project

In FY23, GIP celebrated its 20th anniversary of helping to correct and prevent wrongful convictions in Georgia. This year, GIP had a major financial setback when a private family foundation ended its annual $500,000 grant funding of the organization. Despite that financial challenge, there were several programmatic successes. GIP secured the exoneration and freedom of an innocent man who served 25 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. In another unrelated case, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled in favor of GIP's innocent client, affirming that he was indeed entitled to a new trial based on misconduct and violation of his constitutional rights. GIP then won a contested hearing and secured the client's release on bond, welcoming him home after 21 years lost to wrongful incarceration. In FY23, GIP, often in collaboration with pro bono partners, actively worked on 21 representation stage cases, had 24 cases in active screening for post-conviction claims of innocence, and processed 365 requests for help. GIP also worked with allies to secure a national police certification standard requiring thousands of law enforcement officers to address issues of innocence that arise post-conviction. GIP also advocated for fair compensation for innocent exonerees and reform of Georgia's compensation process, provided direct exoneree support to several exonerees, hosted "freedom gatherings" where exonerees in Georgia accessed peer support and strengthened community, and worked in partnership with freed and exonerated people to educate the public about the causes and consequences of wrongful conviction in Georgia.