37 People Freed, 548 Years Lost

 

With the rate of wrongful convictions being estimated between 2% and 6%, there are 3,000-9,000 innocent people in Texas prisons today. Innocence Project of Texas works to achieve the release and exoneration of wrongfully convicted Texans by providing first-rate legal counsel and investigative services at no cost.

Our legal team of staff attorneys, law clinic students, and volunteer attorneys provide representation and critical assistance in the exoneration process. However, the path to exoneration is both long and expensive. Though Innocence Project of Texas has contributed to the release of 37 wrongfully convicted Texans, successful results are difficult to arrive at and challenging to replicate.

  • 12

    Average Years to
    Exoneration

  • $235,000

    To Free A Wrongfully
    Convicted Person

Melvin Quinney (right) stands next to his lawyer and director of the Innocence Project of Texas, Mike Ware (left)
Source: Paul Flahive | Texas Public Radio
WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION EMPOWERS

Release & Exoneration Stories

Melvin Quinney

Released & Exonerationed

Convicted:
  1991
Sentence:
  20 Years
Released:
  1999
Exonerated:
  2023
READ THEIR STORY
Group photo at courthouse with Dennis Lee Allen holding exoneration paperwork
Source: Innocence Project of Texas
WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION EMPOWERS

Release & Exoneration Stories

Dennis Lee Allen

Released & Exonerationed

Convicted:
  2000
Sentence:
  Life
Released:
  2014
Exonerated:
  2019
READ THEIR STORY
Group photo with Anna Vasquez
Source: Innocence Project of Texas
WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION EMPOWERS

Release & Exoneration Stories

Anna Vasquez

Released & Exonerationed

Convicted:
  1998
Sentence:
  15 Years
Released:
  2012
Exonerated:
  2016
READ THEIR STORY

The Issues

Courts wrongfully convict men and women for a number of reasons: mistaken witness identification; false accusations, including jailhouse informants who can have an incentive to give inaccurate testimony; misconduct on the part of the police or prosecutors; inaccurate or “junk” forensic science; false confessions; and inadequate defense.

Overworked and underfunded defense attorneys may also lack the resources to vigorously test the prosecution’s evidence at trial.

Wrongful Conviction Causes, By The Numbers

All Courtesy of National Registry of Exonerations

Systemic Failures Have Wrongly
Imprisoned Thousands of Texans.

The Generosity of Their Fellow Citizens Can Provide
Them the The Freedom They Deserve.

Innocence Project of Texas grey star icon