Am I eligible?

To be considered, a case must meet all of the following criteria:

1. The crime must have taken place no further than 250 miles from Evanston, Ill. Preference, however, is given to cases within 100 miles.

2. The charges must include murder.

3. The case must have been heard by the state appellate court and the conviction must have been affirmed.

4. The prisoner must be claiming innocence. We do not accept cases where legal defenses (such as self-defense) are raised. We do not accept cases where the applicant was present during the crime.

In rare instances, we will consider exceptions to the above criteria if, in the view of the director of the Medill Innocence Project, the case raises legitimate questions about the individual’s conviction. Exceptions include but are not limited to cases that involve charges other than murder and cases outside of the prescribed geographical area.

To have a case considered for our pool of potential cases, please contact us.