Podcasts about illinois innocence project

Send us a textOn Today's episode of The "Center", we welcome guest Brian Beals. In 1990, Brian Beals was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to 80 years in prison. Beals was incarcerated within several prisons throughout Illinois, and during his wrongful incarceration became a published author. It was during his incarceration in a prison in Dixon, IL that Brian along with other prisoners developed the Mud Theater Project, a prison-based theater group that has produced several award-winning plays. In December 2023, because of evidence produced by the Illinois Innocence Project, Brian's conviction was overturned, and he was released from prison after a total of 35 years of being incarcerated in a combination of county jails and state prisons. In January 2025, just a year following his release, the Mud Theater Project produced and presented a performance of their production “Searching For Justice” at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. The venue was sold out for the event. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Brian Beals to The “Center.” "Sweet Times" is by All Bets Off, and is provided by Adobe Stock.

"Echoes of Change: Central Illinois Journalism and Social Justice in the 1980s" was a forum hosted by the Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield and co-sponsored by NPR Illinois. The conversation explored the impact of local journalism during a transformative era. Mary Bohlen, journalist and UIS associate professor emerita of communication, moderated the conversation. Panelists included Fletcher Farrar, editor of the Illinois Times; Ann Anderson Mustard, former WCIA-TV reporter who covered the Illinois State Capitol; Larry Golden, professor emeritus of political studies and legal studies and founding director of the Illinois Innocence Project at UIS; and Frank McNeil, former Springfield alderman and plaintiff in the 1987 lawsuit that changed the city's commission form of government.

On this week's program, your host, Justin Mog, has a chat with some of Forward Radio's neighbors here in the South of Broadway neighborhood about Solarizing SoBro! Listen in as we talk with Kathy & Joe Kremer, who helped get solar power installed at First Unitarian Church, and Bill Clutter who started the SoBro Neighborhood Association with his neighbors in the Thierman Building on Breckinridge between 4th and 5th. Bill has developed a proposal for forming the SoBro Solar Electric Power Cooperative as a Neighborhood/Municipal Utility Company! Follow the SoBro Neighborhood Association at https://www.facebook.com/groups/391380235100043. Learn more about Solarize Louisville at https://louisvilleky.gov/government/sustainability/solarize-louisville During his tenure as the first Ward One alderman in Springfield, Illinois (1987-91), Bill served as Utility Chairman of City, Water, Light and Power, the largest municipally owned utility company in Illinois. During the pandemic, he started the SoBro Neighborhood Association with his neighbors in the Thierman Building. A private investigator, over two decades ago, he started the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois at Springfield and was credited by the Chicago Tribune, among others, in 2011, when Illinois abolished the death penalty. His investigation of a rare childhood cancer epidemic of neuroblastoma three decades ago, changed environmental policy in Illinois in the case of Donaldson et. al. v. Central Illinois Public Service Company (CIPS), that became a landmark Illinois supreme court precedent. He moved to Louisville in 2013. As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at http://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at http://appalatin.com

In 1993, when 27-year old Penny Williams went missing after she moved in with her ex-husband, everyone had a suspect in mind - her ex, Navy Chief Petty Officer Herman Williams.  When she was discovered dead a few days later, investigators only looked in one direction - Herman. At his 1994 trial, experts and investigators testified about all the circumstantial evidence, while Herman maintained his innocence.  Herman Williams was convicted and he spent 29 yrs in prison….until his case got the attention of the Illinois Innocence Project.  Join Margot as she tells you the tragic and still unsolved case of Penny Williams, and the wrongful conviction story of her ex-husband Herman Williams.  —— Ways to support your favorite podcast: Join My Patreon Family! Subscribe to Military Murder Premium on Apple Podcast! Rate/Review the Show! Tell a Friend about Military Murder —— Thanks to Today's Sponsor: Nom Nom! Visit trynom.com/militarymama for 50% off! ----- Military Murder is a military true crime podcast that focuses on murders committed by military members, veterans, and sometimes their family members.  ---- Follow on social: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mamamargot  TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@militarymargot  Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/militarymurderpodcast  Discussion Group: https://facebook.com/groups/militarytruecrime  Email: militarymurderpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet Erica Nichols Cook, former Public Defender and Director of Iowa's Wrongful Conviction Unit. Listen as she explains what public defenders do and how public defenders are appointed. Erica highlights the importance of communication and how a public defender advocates for their client. Erica Nichols Cook is the Director of the Iowa Wrongful Convictions Division and supervises the Drake University Wrongful Convictions Clinic. Nichols Cook previously served as an adjunct professor of law at Southern Illinois University, teaching about wrongful convictions and supervising an externship program with the Illinois Innocence Project. Prior to that, she was an assistant appellate defender, Cook County public defender, and a staff attorney with the Illinois Innocence Project. Credits: Host: Kristine Bunch, Indiana exoneree and Outreach Coordinator for https://interrogatingjustice.org/ (Interrogating Justice) and https://howtojustice.org/ (How to Justice) Producer: Tammy Alexander, creator and co-host of the https://www.podpage.com/snow-files/ (Snow Files Podcast) Announcer: https://www.imdb.me/the-real-eric-brenner-on-tv (Eric Brenner), actor and voice over artist https://howtojustice.org/ (How to Justice) is a non-profit group that seeks to raise up justice-impacted people. Its goal? Provide easy-to-read answers to your questions about your rights before, during and after prison. https://interrogatingjustice.org/ (Interrogating Justice) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. Our team of attorneys, advocates and allies take on some of the biggest legal, social and ethical justice-reform issues today. Our goal is simple: help shed light on the obstacles preventing our justice system from being just. https://howtojustice.org/donate/ (Donate:) We have the largest database of resources for justice impacted people in the United States. Your donation will help us continue to educate justice-impacted individuals about the law and how to protect the rights that they are entitled to under it. It will pay for writers, fact checkers, and Spanish translators as well as outreach efforts. Any amount will help.

Between 1977 and 2011, 298 men and women were sentenced to the Illinois death row. 20 of those individuals were exonerated when new evidence, or a new look with DNA analysis, proved them to be wrongfully convicted. Attorneys with the Illinois Innocence Project discuss how people can become wrongfully convicted, and the efforts made to free those serving time for crimes they did not commit. John Hanlon and Steven Beckett with the Illinois Innocence Project will speak at the Heartland Community College "Hawk Talks" event on April 21.

John Hanlon is back with the second part of this interview to discuss his role with the Innocence Project. John was Executive Director for the Illinois Innocence Project and was part of the team that helped get Rolando Cruz exonerated from his conviction in the Nicarico Kidnapping and Murder case from 1983.

We welcome John Hanlon back to discuss his role with the Innocence Project over the next 2 episodes. John was Executive Director for the Illinois Innocence Project and was part of the team that helped get Rolando Cruz exonerated from his conviction in the Nicarico Kidnapping and Murder case from 1983.

WGN Radio’s Karen Conti is with Lauren Kaeseberg, Legal Director of the Chicago office of the Illinois Innocence Project, to talk about Illinois becoming the first state to ban police from lying to minors during interrogation. You can find Karen Conti on Facebook. If you have a legal question for Karen, call her office at (312) 332-7800 or […]

WCBU's On Deck has everything you need to know to start your day for Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Our top story is about how rainier days are good news for some Central Illinois crops' growth, but it might be bad news for farmers looking to sell goods. You'll also hear from John Hanlon who is retiring from the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois at Springfield. His work has led to the release of 18 people from prison, some after decades and some who were on death row before Illinois abolished capital punishment.

Today's episode is brought to you by ThePICoach.com. There you can find info about my PI Coaching services and my books, both of which will help you take your PI business to the next level. Bill Clutter is a licensed private investigator who began his career in 1985 working as a law office investigator for Springfield criminal defense attorney Michael Metnick. During that time he was part of the defense team that helped free Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez in the infamous Nicarico case, which lead to the arrest of police and prosecutors in the case that became known as "The DuPage 7". After that case ended, he began the post-conviction investigation that led to the exoneration of death row inmate Randy Steidl, who upon his release in 2004 began advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in New Mexico, Illinois, and Connecticut as a spokesperson for Witness to Innocence.In 2001, Bill founded the Illinois Innocence Project. In January 2013, Bill formed a new national organization called Investigating Innocence after joining the Camm defense team. The core of this organization is made up of private investigators committed to working to free the innocent. There are nearly 70 Innocence Projects throughout the US that hire private investigators.https://investigatinginnocence.org/Make Sure to Subscribe:Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-rocket-your-pi-business-podcast/id1507578980?mt=2&app=podcastSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3XyqgbdrlWbBpnTBYvFYDk?si=SP9VDO0XS4KielIdWLWMyQStichter:https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/duckman-production-services/how-to-rocket-your-pi-business-podcastThank you for listening. If you have a moment to spare please leave a rating or comment on Apple Podcasts as that will help us expand the circle around our campfire.

Some main street Republicans in Bloomington Normal say they think President Trump took the GOP in the wrong direction. Others worry what a Biden administration might mean. A report on business Republicans in the twin cities. Plus the show runners of Fargo recently picked a central Illinois location for one of their episodes a historic mansion near Towanda. There's a new grant opportunity for people who need health relief from the pandemic in Bloomington Normal. Researchers in Illinois find more people are dying of NON COVID related factors this year. And a woman wrongfully jailed in Italy speaks out to help the Illinois Innocence Project.

Jason Strong was 24 in Dec of 1999, when his world was torn apart through wrongful conviction. He spent the next 15 1/2 years fighting to prove his innocence, acting as his own attorney for a large portion of that time, until he secured the assistance of an amazing legal team. In May of 2015 his conviction was vacated, and he was free to go home. A year later he was granted a certificate of innocence from the courts, clearing him completely. He’s hosted an event he put together for Wrongful Conviction Day, served on a number of committees for the Innocence Network, is on the advisory council for the Tennessee Innocence Project, was asked to present an award at an annual event for the Illinois Innocence Project, and much more. He recently created his company Burning Image Productions LLC. He is also writing a book, two movies, filming a documentary, and working on the beginning stages of a TV show.Connect with Jasonhttps://twitter.com/jasonstrong01https://www.instagram.com/jasonstrong1/https://youtu.be/DQ1VOm0lUYMhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-strong-54168314b/Connect with Russ https://russjohns.com/https://thepiratesyndicate.com/https://nextstepnext.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nextstepnext/Please subscribe to the #PirateBroadcast YouTube channel!!!Live Stream Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U3BGl0SZpU

Today's episode is brought to you by ThePICoach.com. There you can find info about my PI Coaching services and my books, both of which will help you take your PI business to the next level.In 2001, Bill started the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS). His investigation of wrongful conviction cases began with his work in the Nicarico case in 1988 that lead to the exoneration of Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez, who had been sentenced to die for a murder committed by serial killer, Brian Dugan. As a defense investigator, Bill worked with Ed Cisowski, a zone commander for the Illinois State Police and developed tire track evidence that linked Dugan to the murder of Jeanine Nicarico. His investigation was featured in the true crime book Victims of Justice, by Thomas Frisbie and Randy Garrett, Avon Books, New York, copyright 1998.https://investigatinginnocence.org/Thank you for listening. If you have a moment to spare please leave a rating or comment on Apple Podcasts as that will help us expand the circle around our campfire. If you have any questions please feel to reach out to me via my website http://www.johnhoda.com

Dr. Larry Golden is a founding member and Director of the Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois Springfield, and current Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Legal Studies at UIS. Dr Golden was recently awarded the 2019 U of I Distinguished Service award for his political activism and work with the Illinois Innocence Project. His passion for political science and social activism began during his years in undergrad at the University of New Hampshire. He was involved in numerous student protests and socio-political movements.

In this episode, I talk with John Hanlon and Lauren Myerscough-Mueller from the Illinois Innocence Project. We talk about DNA evidence, myths and facts regarding science, and the reality of proving innocence. This podcast is mixed and recorded by IICLE. SFX: "Windy Transition" by pcruzn Music: Fearless First Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Hosts Willis Kern and Scott Reeder recap what they’ve discovered over the first 13 episodes covering Barton McNeil’s conviction. And they look ahead at what’s next for the Illinois Innocence Project, which is expected to file motions seeking a new trial for McNeil in the coming months.

Two of Barton McNeil’s cousins have been tireless advocates for his innocence. What motivates them to help a man neither knew before he was convicted of murder? Grace Schlafer from Indiana and Chris Ross from California have interviewed witnesses, poured over documents, and questioned detectives. They were instrumental in getting the Illinois Innocence Project involved in McNeil’s fight for exoneration. The Illinois Innocence Project is expected to file motions soon in hopes of winning McNeil a new trial.

Anthony Murray was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder in Illinois in 1998. In 2012, the Illinois Innocence Project presented new evidence that won him a third trial. In a surprise move, the county prosecutor approached Anthony with the “Alford Plea.” This shift presented Anthony with difficult choices. Join Anthony Murray and Larry Golden, Professor Emeritus of University of Illinois and founder and pro bono director of the Downstate Innocence Project to hear of Anthony's 16-year-journey.