hear what students say about the
downstate illinois innocence project
TESTIMONIAL
Priyanka Deo
Downstate Illinois Innocence Project
Priyanka is from Chicago, Illinois. She is majoring in political science and anthropology and plans to attend law school. Her comments about the Innocence Project:
The Innocence Project is a national project, so they have the program in a lot of universities. I have talked to some of my friends in other universities who are interested in prelaw as well. It’s so competitive to get into where they are. Here I just called, and they said, “Oh, you want to work with us. Great.”
I worked with a lawyer (Mr. John Hanlon, as well as Dr. Larry Golden):
- I had to review cases.
- I had to look at trial transcripts.
- I had to summarize a lot of the trial transcripts.
- I actually got to go to the Capitol. We were working on a case, and we wanted to make it legal to go and be able to investigate. So we were trying to get a law in place, and we actually did get that done.
It is really interesting to see how it all falls into place.
TESTIMONIAL
Samantha Gaddy
Downstate Illinois Innocence Project
When Samantha Gaddy came to UIS, she planned to be a forensic scientist. Then she started working for CSPL’s Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, which helps to prove the innocence of wrongly convicted inmates.
Samantha talked to clients, interviewed witnesses, and kept records of everything she did. “It broke my heart to see what really goes on in the criminal justice system when it doesn’t work. I was brought up to believe if a person was convicted, that person was probably guilty. I don’t believe that’s always true anymore.”
As a result of working on the Project, Samantha's career goals have changed: "I want to be a investigator, working for the defense," she says, "so that I can help prove people’s innocence.”
The Innocence Project, an excellent educational opportunity and a worthy endeavor, needs your support. Please consider how you might be able to help, either as a volunteer or a donor.
