Fighting for Justice
Our case review criteria
To be considered for review, cases must meet the following stringent criteria;
- Alleged crime occurred in Illinois
- Violent felony conviction
- 8 or more years left on sentence
- Actual innocence claim (in other words, no involvement in crime)
- Direct appeal completed
- Not represented by other counsel
- No prior violent felony conviction without an actual innocence claim
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How we select cases
Identifying and moving innocence cases to litigation is a long, slow and arduous process. Our legal intake team meticulously reviews applications for assistance and conducts deep evaluation on cases showing viable claims of actual innocence. Cases that warrant further analysis and investigation move to legal teams who work to uncover evidence to build a client's innocence case and ultimately represent clients in court to litigate claims and secure their freedom.
Our Successes
Brian Beals
Brian Beals was a senior at Southern Illinois University and college football player in 1988 when, on a visit home, he was wrongfully accused of shooting and killing a child. Decades later, newly discovered evidence, including testimony from five witnesses and enhancement of police photographs of bullet holes in Brian’s car, helped prove his innocence.
- Convicted of murder
- 35 years wrongfully imprisoned
- Exonerated and freed 2023
Danny Davis
Danny Davis was 20 when he falsely confessed to a murder following many hours of psychological and physical abuse by police, including threats of the death penalty. DNA testing of evidence found under the victim’s fingernails proved his innocence. Danny was wrongfully imprisoned 32 years before a judge vacated his conviction. Exactly one year later, he was fully exonerated.
- Convicted of murder and robbery
- 32 years wrongfully imprisoned
- Freed 2024
- Exonerated 2025
Adolfo Frias
Adolfo Frias returned home in January 2025 after 33 years ofwrongful imprisonment. After a family member was violently murdered in 1993, he fell victim to the notorious Chicago Det. Reynaldo Guevara, who interrogated and beat him for 30 hours and threatened his family. Desperate to protect them, Adolfo signed a “confession” written in English, though he could read only Spanish.
- Convicted of murder
- 33 years wrongfully imprisoned
- Freed 2025
Jerry Herrington
In 1991, 16-year-old Jerry Herrington was a talented high school football player when he was wrongfully convicted of a murder he knew nothing about. Chicago police physically and psychologically abused him and lied that he confessed. He was released in 2020, after 29 years of wrongful imprisonment and fully exonerated in 2025, 34 years after he was convicted.
- Convicted of murder
- 29 years wrongfully imprisoned
- Freed 2020
- Exonerated 2025
Jennifer McMullan
Jennifer McMullan was wrongfully accused of being a getaway driver when a man was killed after two masked men attempted to rob his restaurant. During 15 hours of interrogation, police intimidated and coerced her into falsely confessing. She was wrongfully convicted under the “theory of accountability” – in which a person can be found guilty of acts committed by others.
- Convicted of murder and attempted robbery
- 19 years wrongfullly imprisoned
- Freed 2021
Apply for Assistance
All cases for consideration should print and complete this form for English or this form for Spanish (PDF) and mail it to:
Illinois Innocence Project
University of Illinois Springfield
One University Plaza, PAC 429
Springfield, IL 62703
No other documents should be submitted for initial review.