Georgia Innocence Project

The Innocence Network is a global coalition of over 70 independent organizations dedicated to freeing innocent people and preventing wrongful convictions. Although we are separate and individual organizations, being a part of the Innocence Network affirms our shared values, and allows us to connect, collaborate, and learn with one another. The freed individuals in attendance at the 2026 Innocence Network Conference collectively lost over 6,832 years of their lives to wrongful conviction. We cried, we laughed, we left inspired to continue this important work with strengthened strategies, tools, and friendships.

Georgia Innocence Project staff was honored to present at several breakout sessions ranging from "HR Affinity Groups" to "Navigating Organizational Growth". Thank you, Innocence Network. We can't wait until next year!

Photo credit: Jennifer Watkins / Lyra Photography The Innocence Network

At the end of July, Georgia Innocence Project's Veronica O'Grady, Senior Attorney, and Christina Cribbs, Litigation Director, went on Georgia Focus, an iHeart podcast, with host John Clark to discuss official misconduct and Brady claims, and how those claims play a role in our cases. The episode is slated for release in about a month. Until then, learn about some of our active cases at https://www.georgiainnocenceproject.org/cases/active-cases/.

Thank you to Lucy, Cynthia, Veronica, Reauna, Raima, and Nadia, Georgia Innocence Project's summer 2026 interns. We're grateful for your dedication and wish you all the best! Interns are crucial to our work to correct and prevent wrongful convictions in Georgia.

Here's a photo of some of the summer interns and staff during a July tour of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Headquarters for a behind-the-scenes look at how forensic science is used in the criminal legal system. From Forensic Biology to Trace Evidence, the visit was an eye-opening opportunity to learn directly about the tools, challenges, and impact of forensic work. Thank you to the GBI Crime Lab for welcoming us!

If you're a student looking for internship opportunities, reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Congratulations to Brandon Pugh on his freedom, and to his attorneys for their relentless work! This is what responsibility looks like: when prosecutors are presented with evidence of a wrongful conviction and choose to do the right thing. Georgia Innocence Project is honored to have played a small role by providing a letter of support, laying out the wrongful conviction factors present in Mr. Pugh's case, and the resulting reasons to doubt the validity of his conviction.

Exonerated man looks to rebuild after 16 years of lost time in prison Brandon Pugh was exonerated after 16 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. But stepping out of the Georgia prison proved not to be the end of his uphill battle.

We are excited to welcome Bailey McGovern as a 2026-2028 Equal Justice Works Fellow at Georgia Innocence Project, sponsored by the Georgia Bar Foundation! She will support our initiatives to leverage generative AI technology in assessing official misconduct and engage in community-based policy advocacy. We are grateful for this opportunity to add another talented legal member to the team. Happy first week at Georgia Innocence Project, Bailey!

Learn more about the program at equaljusticeworks.org.

"Over the past year, the court has seen a deluge of wrongful conviction claims: 56 of them as of late June, according to OSAH statistics. More than 60% have been rejected. And for the eight people who have been successful in proving their innocence, the results have varied greatly."

https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/07/georgia-judges-ok-millions-in-wrongful-conviction-claims-under-new-law/?fbclid=IwdGRjcATB9BRjbGNrBMH0DmV4dG4DYWVtAzEwMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR62J72jaYP_aPn2kcwE_xmVgxjeMGqi3gsNoKyCRHU_HC17k3-HMtiivD4hVg_aem_KI7lIBgPfRcCLhyUwf-PDw&utm_campaign=mrf-facebook-ajc&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&mrfcid=202607136a54cf7b7345996817b1da84

Georgia judges OK millions in wrongful conviction claims under new law A year ago, the Legislature tasked a relatively unknown group of Georgia judges with something rare: building out a legal process from scratch to compensate Georgia’s wrongfully convicted. At the time, there were few solid estimates of how many people would come forward, nor did anyone know how ex...

We’re thrilled to welcome two new members to Georgia Innocence Project's Board of Directors, Melissa Fox and Ashley Thompson!

Melissa Fox is a Partner at Eversheds Sutherland. She is a solutions-oriented advisor, helping companies minimize risk and representing clients in class actions and commercial litigation. Melissa helps clients in emerging industries and those launching novel technologies navigate regulatory uncertainty and operate under evolving laws and regulations.

Ashley Thompson is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations, crisis communications, and reputation management. She currently serves as a Senior Lead Advisor in public relations for a national consumer brand, where she supports local and national media relations efforts and advises on communications during complex and high-profile situations.

We are grateful for Melissa and Ashley's commitment to joining the fight against wrongful convictions in Georgia. Join us in welcoming Melissa and Ashley!

"I was never going to give up." Marquez Powell

Learn more about Marquez's recent exoneration by watching WSB-TV coverage!

Man spent 21 years in prison for murder he didn’t commit: ‘I was never going to give up’ An Atlanta man who spent more than two decades in prison for a murder he did not commit is free.