What We Do

The Innocence Project of Minnesota takes on the cases of convicted but innocent people; we educate attorneys and criminal justice professionals on best practices; and we work to reform procedures.

The Innocence Network, using DNA testing, has worked to free 245 innocent people, after serving an average of 12 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit. Added together, they spent 3,100 years behind bars. Imagine spending the past twelve years of your life in prison. Then imagine the effect it would have on those who care about you.

In addition to the DNA exonerations, many others have been freed through lengthy re-investigation of their cases. The Innocence Project of Minnesota will act in any Minnesota case where clear evidence of innocence is present.

We also work to change procedures. We have taught countless lawyers forensic science both as part of continuing legal education and through clinics and law school classes. We continue to work with police and prosecutors to change eyewitness identification procedures. We are also working with victim advocacy groups to retain biological evidence that will both free the innocent and help solve cold cases.

Finally, we regularly reach out to community groups, to further the public understanding of innocence related issues.

Established in 2002, the Innocence Project of Minnesota is a private, volunteer based, non-profit organization providing pro bono investigative and legal assistance to prisoners trying to prove their innocence. IPMN investigates potential claims of wrongful conviction from prisoners convicted of crimes in Minnesota. If there is DNA evidence of wrongful conviction, we alos take cases from North Dakota and South Dakota.

We are a founding member of the Innocence Network, a group of law schools, non-profits, journalism schools, public defender offices and law firms. IPMN is modeled after the highly successful Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, created by Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld in 1992.