Cedric Willis is a Jackson resident who was wrongfully convicted in the shooting death of Carl White in 1994. In 2006 the Jackson Free Press reported that Hinds County Circuit jury convicted Willis, even though DNA evidence excluded him as the perpetrator in that crime. Prosecutors kept the DNA evidence from Willis' trial, and a jury convicted him or murder with a life sentence plus 90 years. After spending 12 years behind bards in Parchman, Willis was exonerated with the help of the Innocence Project in New Orleans. Below is a timeline of Willis' journey through the legal system and the steps the Innocence Project took to free him. (Note: Every case is different, so these guidelines may not be suitable for everyone.)
How to free an innocent man:
1. Inmate writes an appeal to The Innocence Project.
2. After receiving the appeal, the Innocence Project conducts a thorough review; the case gets a grade based on possible winning evidence.
3. If the case receives a high grade, a "stage 2 investigation" begins. In this stage, all related case documents are retrieved such as court documents, lawyer files, police reports, witness reports; interviews are conducted with family members, employers and people who can validate the prisoner. Any new information that was not presented in the initial trial increases the likelihood of passing a new case.
4. Outside lawyers conduct a case review panel, and then give their opinion to proceed or halt progress.
5. If the review panel suggests proceeding, approval for a new trial can take up to six years.
6. After approval from court for filing for new trail, attorney files a request for DNA testing application or an application for post-conviction release.
7. The court proceedings begin, with an unknown time of litigation.
8. The judge can dismiss the conviction and grant a new trial or keep previous court ruling.
9. If granted a new trial, the prosecutor chooses to retry or go no further with the case.
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