Great North Innocence Project

Great North Innocence Project IPMN is a 501(c)3 non-profit.

The Great North Innocence Project works to free the wrongfully convicted and prevent future wrongful convictions from occurring in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

🌟Honor 25 years of freeing innocent people and preventing wrongful convictions with the Great North Innocence Project by...
05/26/2026

🌟Honor 25 years of freeing innocent people and preventing wrongful convictions with the Great North Innocence Project by reflecting on the stories of our freed clients.

In March 2020, Javon Davis left prison 22 years early after serving six years for a crime he didn’t commit. Just last month, Minnesota’s Claims Committee unanimously voted to award Javon compensation for his wrongful conviction!

"I’m ecstatic and so thankful. I am so happy they believed in me. They saved my life." -Javon about GNIP's work on his case 💙

This week, the GNIP team joined forces with Every Meal and other incredible volunteers to help fight child hunger in Min...
05/21/2026

This week, the GNIP team joined forces with Every Meal and other incredible volunteers to help fight child hunger in Minnesota! Together, we packed nearly 4,000 bags of nutritious, culturally relevant food - providing over 15,000 meals that go right into backpacks. Like freedom, food is a basic need and we're thankful to Every Meal for ensuring that need is met for kids across our state 🍎💙 We're proud to be part of a strong and caring community that supports each other in so many different ways!

One week away! 📚Join GNIP and Jarrett Adams, author of Redeeming Justice, for a virtual book talk on Wednesday, May 27, ...
05/20/2026

One week away! 📚

Join GNIP and Jarrett Adams, author of Redeeming Justice, for a virtual book talk on Wednesday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m. As an exoneree who was convicted at 17 years old for a crime he did not commit, and an attorney and founder of the nonprofit Life After Justice, Adams is an expert on the causes and consequences of wrongful convictions, and an advocate for those who are still fighting to clear their name ⚖️

Whether you’ve read every page or just want to listen and learn, you’re welcome to join.

🔗Visit https://www.greatnorthinnocenceproject.org/get-involved/wrongful-convictions-book-club/ for more information and to register!

🌟The Great North Innocence Project could not have successfully freed 15 innocent men and women without our guiding stars...
05/18/2026

🌟The Great North Innocence Project could not have successfully freed 15 innocent men and women without our guiding stars, the founders and earliest investors in innocence work in the Great North region. As part of our year-long 25th anniversary celebration, we are highlighting these passionate leaders and advocates who helped shape GNIP into what it is today.

Founding Board member Ed Magarian, Partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, served off-and-on for almost two decades. He actively worked on GNIP cases and provided advice and guidance on others, including the case of GNIP’s first freed client, Sherman Townsend. Ed was also key in advocating for Minnesota's wrongful conviction compensation statute and pairing the organization's mission with the structure to make it happen in the our earliest days.

🔗Learn more about Ed and his incredible vision and service at the

Six years ago today, a new statute outlining requirements for eyewitness ID procedures went into effect in Minnesota. Wr...
05/16/2026

Six years ago today, a new statute outlining requirements for eyewitness ID procedures went into effect in Minnesota. Written by former GNIP Legal Director Julie Jonas, this statute requires all law enforcement agencies in the state to follow mandated best practices consistent with those recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. 🏛️

Eyewitness misidentification is a leading factor in wrongful convictions. Nationally, 69% of exonerations have involved eyewitness misidentification. Exonerated GNIP client Marvin Haynes was wrongfully convicted at just 17 years old when investigators used an old photo of him in a lineup and were inconsistent with other best practices.

Thank you to Julie Jonas and the many experts and partners who fought for these reforms that address wrongful convictions at their root causes!

Thank you to everyone who joined GNIP's Wrongful Convictions Book Club in person and online to discuss "Redeeming Justic...
05/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined GNIP's Wrongful Convictions Book Club in person and online to discuss "Redeeming Justice: From Defendant to Defender, My Fight for Equity on Both Sides of a Broken System" by Jarrett Adams 📚

The group thoughtfully raised and explored questions like, What should accountability look like for prosecutorial misconduct? Should it be possible to convict someone without any physical evidence? Does the US’s adversarial justice system actually produce less justice? Like any good book club, our conversation yielded even more questions, but we left feeling encouraged by our community's enthusiasm for addressing issues related to wrongful convictions 💙

🔗 to learn more about our Book Club, and stay tuned for info on upcoming book selections!

Did you know? In 2019, Innocence Project of Minnesota leaders and supporters saw a gap in innocence work in neighboring ...
05/12/2026

Did you know? In 2019, Innocence Project of Minnesota leaders and supporters saw a gap in innocence work in neighboring states. In 2020, we expanded our work to serve North Dakota and South Dakota and transformed into the Great North Innocence Project 🌟

From outreach to correctional facilities and community groups to teaching innocence classes and clinics, the GNIP team is proud to serve the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. Plus, our entire Great North community benefits from the expertise, care, and service of exceptional Board of Directors members from both states! 🤝💙

Today, we honor the unwavering strength, resilience, and love of mothers everywhere 💐We celebrate our incredible client ...
05/10/2026

Today, we honor the unwavering strength, resilience, and love of mothers everywhere 💐

We celebrate our incredible client Cassandra Black Elk, a mother who was wrongfully convicted and, with representation by GNIP's legal team, finally was freed and exonerated in 2023. After years of injustice, she is now able to hold her children close — not just in her heart, but in her arms.

We also stand with the mothers who remain behind bars, wrongfully convicted and still waiting for justice. Your strength fuels our fight. You are not alone.

And to the mothers of wrongfully convicted people - the ones who never stop fighting for their children, showing up for court dates, raising their voices, and refusing to give up - your love lights the path to freedom.

This Mother’s Day, please join us in recognizing the incredible courage of these women and affirming our commitment to supporting families affected by wrongful convictions.

The Great North Innocence Project is deeply grateful to Thomson Reuters, GNIP’s longest-standing corporate partner, for ...
05/06/2026

The Great North Innocence Project is deeply grateful to Thomson Reuters, GNIP’s longest-standing corporate partner, for their continued investment in our mission. Through this year’s Social Impact Sprint, a talented team of HR, legal, and operations professionals helped us strengthen how we welcome and support new staff at GNIP. In one very full day, the Thomson Reuters team developed practical, thoughtful resources to support onboarding, strengthen internal systems, and address the realities of working in a field where secondary trauma can affect both new and longtime staff.

As GNIP celebrates 25 years of freeing innocent people and preventing wrongful convictions, partnerships like this help build the infrastructure needed to sustain and grow our impact.

Thank you to Thomson Reuters for your commitment to pro bono service, and to the individual Social Impact Sprint team members who shared their time, talent, and care in support of GNIP this year.

Address

229 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN
55455

Telephone

(612) 624-4779

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