Tennessee Innocence Project
Programs
Budget
$58,000.00
Description
Before TIP accepts a case, it goes through a lengthy vetting process, which includes meaningful evaluation of each prisoner's claim of innocence. Case requirements for acceptance include that the conviction must be in the Tennessee state court, the trial and direct appeals process must be complete, the conviction must be a felony, and applicants must assert that they are factually innocent of the crime or crimes of which they are convicted.
Program Successes
One case that has gone through our intake and investigation process is that of Claude Garrett. In February 1992, a house fire started in Old Hickory, TN. Renters Claude Garrett and his fiance Lori Lance were the sole occupants of the home. While Mr. Garrett managed to escape, Ms. Lance succumbed to smoke inhalation. In 1992, fire investigation and science were undergoing a profound transformation. Based on standards prior to the publication of the National Fire Protection Association 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, and junk science, Mr. Garrett was convicted. Today, the investigator's conclusions, the cause of Mr. Garrett's prosecution, have been debunked.
For the past 28 years, Mr. Garrett has maintained his innocence. TIP is proud to represent Mr. Garrett. You can read about the case on our website: www.tninnocence.org/our-clients, "Playing With Fire" Series by the Intercept, or "The Story of Claude Garrett and the Bad Science of Arson" by the Nashville Scene.
Program Success Monitored By
Case requirements for acceptance include that 1) the conviction must be in the Tennessee state court, 2) the trial and direct appeals process must be complete, 3) the conviction must be a felony, and 4) applicants must assert that they are factually innocent of the crime or crimes of which they are convicted.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
$58,000.00
Description
Before TIP accepts a case, it goes through a lengthy vetting process, which includes meaningful evaluation of each prisoner's claim of innocence. Case requirements for acceptance include that the conviction must be in the Tennessee state court, the trial and direct appeals process must be complete, the conviction must be a felony, and applicants must assert that they are factually innocent of the crime or crimes of which they are convicted.
Program Successes
One case that has gone through our intake and investigation process is that of Claude Garrett. In February 1992, a house fire started in Old Hickory, TN. Renters Claude Garrett and his fiance Lori Lance were the sole occupants of the home. While Mr. Garrett managed to escape, Ms. Lance succumbed to smoke inhalation. In 1992, fire investigation and science were undergoing a profound transformation. Based on standards prior to the publication of the National Fire Protection Association 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, and junk science, Mr. Garrett was convicted. Today, the investigator's conclusions, the cause of Mr. Garrett's prosecution, have been debunked.
For the past 28 years, Mr. Garrett has maintained his innocence. TIP is proud to represent Mr. Garrett. You can read about the case on our website: www.tninnocence.org/our-clients, "Playing With Fire" Series by the Intercept, or "The Story of Claude Garrett and the Bad Science of Arson" by the Nashville Scene.
Program Success Monitored By
Case requirements for acceptance include that 1) the conviction must be in the Tennessee state court, 2) the trial and direct appeals process must be complete, 3) the conviction must be a felony, and 4) applicants must assert that they are factually innocent of the crime or crimes of which they are convicted.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Description
Once an application goes through our review phases, the case is officially accepted or rejected, and then proceeds through the workshop process handled by the Case Review Committee of TIP's Board and overseen by our Executive Director/Lead Counsel. Our lawyers, including our Executive Director/Lead Counsel and those on our Board, specialize in the uniquely complex and challenging litigation of innocence work. Innocence cases take an average of 11 years to achieve exoneration. Under the current justice system, it is nearly impossible for an incarcerated Tennessean to prove their actual innocence without the necessary resources. Defendants and their families, sometimes lacking dedicated lawyers, enter the lattermost stages of the criminal process in a penniless position. Even if a private lawyer or law firm could handle a time-intensive innocence case pro bono, the question of resources for quality investigation and scientific testing remains, which is why TIP does not charge clients.
Program Successes
You can read about one of our current Davidson County cases, which is very close to an exoneration:
Nashville Scene (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21147369/das-office-disavows-mans-conviction-for-2000-killing-of-nashville-sex-worker__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK6yf8ZUKx$)
Tennessean (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2021/05/11/paul-garrett-wrongfully-convicted-nashville-district-attorney-glenn-funk/5047218001/__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK614vrEfy$)
Nashville.gov (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.nashville.gov/News-Media/News-Article/ID/10897/Cold-Case-Detectives-Arrest-Calvin-Atchison-for-2000-Murder-of-Velma-Tharpe.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2nx4ZXl_Fzox4D7256QY1nwV87gEhwhQ8Oy6rx1COe5mRt3a52-92VLlk__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK6-zcko7y$).
Long-term Success
The best measure of our long-term success comes from those we serve. "Having an innocence organization take my case meant everything to me. I finally had lawyers that cared and listened, that believed in me, and that gave me hope. Injustice needs to be fought, and we need an organization that does that," shared Jason Strong, TIP Advisory Council Member and exoneree from Illinois, who spent more than 15 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Once an application goes through our review phases, the case is officially accepted or rejected, and then proceeds through the workshop process handled by the Case Review Committee of TIP's Board and overseen by our Executive Director/Lead Counsel. Our lawyers, including our Executive Director/Lead Counsel and those on our Board, specialize in the uniquely complex and challenging litigation of innocence work. Innocence cases take an average of 11 years to achieve exoneration. Under the current justice system, it is nearly impossible for an incarcerated Tennessean to prove their actual innocence without the necessary resources. Defendants and their families, sometimes lacking dedicated lawyers, enter the lattermost stages of the criminal process in a penniless position. Even if a private lawyer or law firm could handle a time-intensive innocence case pro bono, the question of resources for quality investigation and scientific testing remains, which is why TIP does not charge clients.
Program Successes
You can read about one of our current Davidson County cases, which is very close to an exoneration:
Nashville Scene (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21147369/das-office-disavows-mans-conviction-for-2000-killing-of-nashville-sex-worker__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK6yf8ZUKx$)
Tennessean (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2021/05/11/paul-garrett-wrongfully-convicted-nashville-district-attorney-glenn-funk/5047218001/__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK614vrEfy$)
Nashville.gov (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.nashville.gov/News-Media/News-Article/ID/10897/Cold-Case-Detectives-Arrest-Calvin-Atchison-for-2000-Murder-of-Velma-Tharpe.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2nx4ZXl_Fzox4D7256QY1nwV87gEhwhQ8Oy6rx1COe5mRt3a52-92VLlk__;!!I2XIyG2ANlwasLbx!HSijVzwiGIq3C1phut8ICkpnQGTGXGd_wNNCqO1AHHlf1b1Ij6pDjytK6-zcko7y$).
Long-term Success
The best measure of our long-term success comes from those we serve. "Having an innocence organization take my case meant everything to me. I finally had lawyers that cared and listened, that believed in me, and that gave me hope. Injustice needs to be fought, and we need an organization that does that," shared Jason Strong, TIP Advisory Council Member and exoneree from Illinois, who spent more than 15 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Description
Our goals do not just stop at freeing the innocent. TIP works tirelessly to raise awareness around the root causes of wrongful convictions, including issues of race and socioeconomic status, and affect policy changes to prevent wrongful convictions from happening in the first place. We speak at community events, share mission moments at our own fundraisers, and distribute an e-newsletter to help educate the public on the misconceptions surrounding wrongful convictions. We also advocate for and raise awareness of broader system changes in the judiciary and criminal justice system.
Program Successes
In 2000-2001, while functioning out of the Innocence Clinic at the University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, TIP leadership drafted, obtained legislative sponsorship, and advocated for passage of the TN Post-Conviction DNA Analysis Act of 2001, which helped reimagine justice and allows DNA testing to expose innocence, no matter how old the case.
Recently, we helped draft, obtain legislative support, and advocate for the passage of Post-Conviction Fingerprint Analysis Act of 2021, which was signed by Governor Lee on May 11, 2021, allows for fingerprints to be tested post-conviction just like DNA.
Short-term Success
In the past two years we have hosted or engaged in more than 20 events across the state.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Our goals do not just stop at freeing the innocent. TIP works tirelessly to raise awareness around the root causes of wrongful convictions, including issues of race and socioeconomic status, and affect policy changes to prevent wrongful convictions from happening in the first place. We speak at community events, share mission moments at our own fundraisers, and distribute an e-newsletter to help educate the public on the misconceptions surrounding wrongful convictions. We also advocate for and raise awareness of broader system changes in the judiciary and criminal justice system.
Program Successes
In 2000-2001, while functioning out of the Innocence Clinic at the University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, TIP leadership drafted, obtained legislative sponsorship, and advocated for passage of the TN Post-Conviction DNA Analysis Act of 2001, which helped reimagine justice and allows DNA testing to expose innocence, no matter how old the case.
Recently, we helped draft, obtain legislative support, and advocate for the passage of Post-Conviction Fingerprint Analysis Act of 2021, which was signed by Governor Lee on May 11, 2021, allows for fingerprints to be tested post-conviction just like DNA.
Short-term Success
In the past two years we have hosted or engaged in more than 20 events across the state.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Description
TIP trains law students and pro bono attorneys to investigate and litigate innocence claims, as well as how to prevent future wrongful convictions. We have engaged volunteer lawyers since our founding, as well as other volunteer professionals. For example, in 2020, TIP partnered with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP's Tennessee office to create and implement a system to teach non-criminal attorneys to assess innocence claims. We have trained law students from: Vanderbilt University Law School, University of Memphis School of Law, and University of Tennessee College of Law. We also will do trainings for district attorneys' offices and law enforcement.
Category
Crime & Legal - Related - Legal Services
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
TIP trains law students and pro bono attorneys to investigate and litigate innocence claims, as well as how to prevent future wrongful convictions. We have engaged volunteer lawyers since our founding, as well as other volunteer professionals. For example, in 2020, TIP partnered with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP's Tennessee office to create and implement a system to teach non-criminal attorneys to assess innocence claims. We have trained law students from: Vanderbilt University Law School, University of Memphis School of Law, and University of Tennessee College of Law. We also will do trainings for district attorneys' offices and law enforcement.
Category
Crime & Legal - Related - Legal Services
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
