Georgia Innocence Project

The Georgia Innocence project is an arm of the original Innocence Project that at last count has helped free 251 wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA evidence. One of 50 such organizations nationwide, the Georgia Innocence Project is calling for scientist's and law enforcement alike to expand investigation to forms of evidence that includes searching for potential "touch DNA" left at crime scenes as in the case of JonBenet Ramsey - -

Law Day event spotlights DNA project, honors 2 standouts
Published in the Gainesville Times
By Stephen Gurr

"More than 4,000 people have asked a small Atlanta-based legal advocacy group to take a look at their criminal convictions with hopes of proving their innocence through DNA evidence.

Aimee Maxwell, director of the Georgia Innocence Project, told Friday's Law Day luncheon crowd at the Gainesville Civic Center that her tiny two-person office is currently reviewing 200 cases, including one from Hall County. Since 2004, the office has accepted 28 cases and exonerated five men.

"These people are innocent — there's not a ‘not guilty' aspect to it," Maxwell said. "The great thing about this data is it's encouraging criminal justice professionals and scientists to look at other forms of evidence that we use in criminal cases."

Just a few years ago, so-called "touch DNA" was not widely considered a viable form of evidence, Maxwell said. Use of the method in the JonBenet Ramsey case helped change those attitudes, she said. Last year, Maxwell's office used the analysis of skin cells left behind on a cell phone and article of clothing to clear a Georgia man in a carjacking case...[read more]