About the Innocence Project of Iowa

The Innocence Project of Iowa was founded in 2007 by a group of attorneys, professors, and students committed to the prevention of wrongful convictions and the exoneration of innocent persons. While the Iowa/Nebraska Innocence Project and other regional innocence organizations previously accepted Iowa cases, the Innocence Project of Iowa is the first innocence organization specifically focused on investigating Iowa cases and ensuring the integrity of the Iowa criminal justice system.

The Project has no paid staff but relies fully on volunteer lawyers, professors, students from the University of Iowa College of Law, and others. Case intake and initial screening is conducted in conjunction with the Midwest Innocence Project and the Wrongful Conviction Division of the State Public Defender of Iowa.  The Project is a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation and is a member of the nationwide Innocence Network.

Board of Directors

• Emily Ehlers, Des Moines
• Brian Farrell, Toddville
• Mark Gruwell, Estherville
• Neal McNabb, Storm Lake
• Kent Simmons, Davenport
• Tricia Bushnell, Kansas City (ex officio)