Innocence & Justice Louisiana - formerly IPNO

Innocence & Justice Louisiana - formerly IPNO IPNO frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences.
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Innocence & Justice Louisiana frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences. We recognize the root causes of wrongful convictions and unjust sentences as systemic racism and inequities. We work to expose and address these root causes by sharing our clients’ stories in court, the legislature, the community and the media. We support our clients living well and fully in the world after their release.

Earlier this month, we spent an evening in Washington, D.C. with supporters, partners, and friends of Innocence & Justic...
06/18/2026

Earlier this month, we spent an evening in Washington, D.C. with supporters, partners, and friends of Innocence & Justice Louisiana.

Thank you to our hosts, Blair Brown and Zuckerman Spaeder, for creating space for a powerful conversation about wrongful convictions, extreme sentencing, mass incarceration, and rebuilding after injustice.

Jerome Morgan shared what it meant to be sent to Angola at just 17 years old for a crime he did not commit. Glenn Davis spoke about Louisiana’s non-unanimous “Jim Crow” jury system. Cefus Jenkins shared the pain of being sentenced to life for a nonviolent drug conviction while leaving behind his daughter and young sisters.

Their stories reminded us that the harm does not end at release or exoneration. Our clients come home carrying the real weight of what it means to have lost time in their lives due to a broken legal system.

Thank you to everyone who showed up and continues to support our work. Your partnership helps us fight for a more just Louisiana.

06/17/2026

Last week, we sat down with Greg Bright to talk about what Governor Landry’s veto of SB 125 means for him personally.

Greg lost more than 27 years of his life to a wrongful conviction. He was convicted in 1976 for a murder he did not commit, based on the testimony of one witness. Evidence that could have changed the outcome of his case was hidden or never investigated until IJLA located it. In 2003, after more than 27 years in prison, the state dismissed all charges, and Greg finally came home.

Now, because of the Governor’s veto of SB 125, Greg and other exonerees are facing the loss of compensation payments as Louisiana cuts support off after 10 years. These payments help with real, everyday needs: food, housing, transportation, medical care, and the cost of rebuilding after prison.

When Greg talks about losing this support, he is not talking about politics. He is talking about how he will keep getting to appointments, paying bills, taking care of himself, and continuing to rebuild a life the state interrupted for nearly three decades, even years after release.

YOU CAN HELP: Please support the emergency GoFundMe to help Greg and other exonerees avoid gaps in basic needs as their payments are set to stop this fall.

EZIDORE UPDATE: Mr. Ezidore’s trial was supposed to start this week. We were eager to secure an acquittal from the jury ...
06/12/2026

EZIDORE UPDATE: Mr. Ezidore’s trial was supposed to start this week. We were eager to secure an acquittal from the jury so that Mr. Ezidore could enjoy his freedom in peace. Over our opposition, the prosecution was granted a continuance. The upside is that we were able to enjoy a leisurely visit with Mr. Ezidore at our office. He’s enjoying spending time at home with his family, especially his great-grandchildren.

06/09/2026

THREE YEAR FREEDOM ANNIVERSARY 🥳: Mr. Bobby Wallace is a brother, father, grandfather, friend, and mentor. After serving 16 years of a life sentence for a bag of co***ne found in someone else’s house under a couch cushion, IJLA helped him secure his freedom in 2023.

Since his release, Mr. Wallace can often be found where you see him in the video…hard at work, and wearing a smile. Understanding the challenges that many young boys face growing up in Shreveport, he also dedicates his time speaking life into them and offering guidance through his own experiences.

This is his freedom story.

Interested in learning more about Mr. Wallace? Visit the Client tab www.justicelouisiana.org

MYTHS, MEET FACTS! 🚨 In his veto message, Governor Jeff Landry leaned heavily on hypotheticals, yet the facts of the bil...
06/08/2026

MYTHS, MEET FACTS! 🚨
In his veto message, Governor Jeff Landry leaned heavily on hypotheticals, yet the facts of the bill tell a different story. SB 125 passed unanimously, with bipartisan support, because lawmakers understood that when the state wrongfully imprisons an innocent person, the state has a responsibility to help repair the harm.

Share the facts and learn more at https://justicelouisiana.org/compensation-bill/

Questions about the veto? Drop them in the comments!

URGENT BREAKING: Governor Landry has VETOED SB 125 -- a bill unanimously passed through the Legislature. Ten exonerees w...
06/04/2026

URGENT BREAKING: Governor Landry has VETOED SB 125 -- a bill unanimously passed through the Legislature. Ten exonerees will lose compensation IMMEDIATELY and need your help. Please support them by donating here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-louisiana-exonerees-after-vetoed-compensation-bill

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On June 3, 2026, Governor Jeff Landry vetoed Senate Bill 125, a unanimous bipartisan bill that would have modestly increased compensation for innocent people wrongfully convicted and imprisoned in Louisiana.

SB 125, authored by Senator Gerald Boudreaux, would have raised Louisiana’s wrongful conviction compensation cap from 10 years to 15 years. In a session where almost nothing moved without division, SB 125 earned full bipartisan support at every step.

Despite that, Governor Landry made SB 125 the ONLY bill he has vetoed this session.

This veto is deeply wrong and harmful. The Governor’s veto message makes specious assertions about abuse without acknowledging who will suffer because of his veto. 10 exonerees in 5 different parishes, whose innocence has already been vetted by the courts, will immediately lose compensation because of the Governor's veto.

The State of Louisiana sent these men to prison for crimes they didn’t commit for a combined 211 years. Because of Landry’s veto, they are being compensated for less than half of that time.

We are asking you to step in where Governor Landry refused to. He took $40,000 from each of these men for this year alone. Please supporting them directly! They are in urgent need of immediate support to maintain housing, pay bills and car notes, buy gas, and groceries. Your support will let them know that you believe they should be compensated for what the State of Louisiana did to them, even if Governor Landry does not.

SKINNER UPDATE 🚨: Recently, we received a significant update in our long-running litigation for James Skinner. We had as...
06/01/2026

SKINNER UPDATE 🚨: Recently, we received a significant update in our long-running litigation for James Skinner. We had asked the United States Supreme Court to review Mr. Skinner’s conviction because the Louisiana state courts had refused to grant Mr. Skinner postconviction relief even though the State had hidden a mountain of favorable evidence from his trial attorney.

While seven justices ruled that Mr. Skinner must continue to seek remedies in federal court rather than granting an immediate reversal of his conviction, Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justice Jackson, wrote an 18-page dissent from that decision, echoing the arguments we’ve been making for him for nine years. Mr. Skinner should have a new fair trial NOW.

Though his fight for freedom continues in federal court, we are encouraged that justice on the nation’s highest court recognized the injustices at the heart of his case. We remain more than confident that we will bring Mr. Skinner home.

Last week, we hosted an intimate chat about progress and setbacks in this legislative session at our Supporter Briefing....
06/01/2026

Last week, we hosted an intimate chat about progress and setbacks in this legislative session at our Supporter Briefing. Supporters had great questions about the legislative process, and our executive director Jee Park and peer mentor Jerome Morgan discussed the current and changing legal landscape around our work. At the time of writing, SB 125, which would expand wrongful conviction compensation, sits on Governor Landry's desk awaiting his signature.

These briefings are always a great chance to engage in substantive conversation with a small group of supporters, and learn what parts of our work are important to them. We're looking forward to the next one!

On May 14th, seven Friends Forever International alumni leaders visited our office during their Advanced Leadership Trai...
05/21/2026

On May 14th, seven Friends Forever International alumni leaders visited our office during their Advanced Leadership Training Program in New Orleans.

As a part of their visit, the students heard from IJLA’s Deputy Director, Meredith Angelson, and Peer Mentor, Jerome Morgan, who shared insight into our work and the realities of wrongful convictions and excessive punishments.

The students were rapt as Jerome told his story, and asked probing questions about how he kept his mind free in prison, built an emotionally healthy life after release, and what motivates him in this work. We’re incredibly honored to be in conversation with young leaders from around the world who are committed to driving change.

05/21/2026

On Tuesday, May 19, SB 125, Louisiana’s wrongful conviction compensation bill, advanced out of the House with another unanimous vote (98-0). The bill has received full support throughout the legislative process and now returns to the Senate for concurrence on House amendments before it can head to the Governor’s desk. SB 125 has also drawn broad bipartisan backing, with 78 co-authors: 67 from the House and 11 from the Senate.

SB 125 raises Louisiana’s compensation cap from 10 years to 15 years for people who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated. For our clients like Henry James, who spent nearly 30 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, this bill would recognize more of the years taken from him and provide greater support as he continues rebuilding his life in freedom.

As Representative Owen said on the House floor: “We need to be better. [This] is a chance to be better. Please support this bill.”

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4051 Ulloa Street
New Orleans, LA
70119

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