Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) is dedicated to correcting and preventing the conviction of innocent people in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP) is a life-saving resource for many residents of the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. MAIP fights injustice by bringing free, comprehensive legal assistance to regional residents facing wrongful convictions and incarceration. To create a brighter, more just future for our region, MAIP directly engages our legal, judicial, and law enforcement le
Happy 13th Exoneration Anniversary, Jerry Jenkins!
On June 7, 2013, Jerry was finally exonerated by DNA evidence, nearly 25 years after being wrongfully convicted of first-degree r**e and sexual assault.
Join us in celebrating Jerry today!
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06/04/2026
The challenges of wrongful conviction do not end with freedom.
The transition from prison to freedom comes with new hurdles including finding housing, employment, healthcare, and many other resources needed to adjust to life after prison.
Our Exoneree Support Program is there to help ease this transition for our clients while also creating a place to build community - because help cannot end with freedom.
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06/02/2026
Every year, countless wrongfully convicted people remain behind bars - innocent and fighting to be exonerated.
Since 1989 there have been 3,807 exonerations nationwide. The individuals representing these exonerations collectively lost over 35,000 years to their wrongful convictions.
The leading causes? Perjury or false accusations, official misconduct, false or misleading forensic evidence, mistaken witness ID, and false confessions.
Each exoneration is a life, each year lost a missed moment.
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Thank you to everyone who sponsored, donated to, and attended our 2026 Evening of Light!
With your support, we will continue to provide free legal services, advocate for meaningful reform, and work to prevent future wrongful convictions across DC, Maryland, and Virginia well into the future.
We are SO grateful to have each of you by our side to help us leave the light on for MAIP clients! Stay tuned on all our social platforms for more photos from this inspiring event. 🩵
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05/25/2026
Nationwide, it is estimated that approximately 107,000 to 181,500 military veterans are incarcerated in federal, state, and local correctional facilities, making up roughly 8% of the U.S. state prison population. According to the Council on Criminal Justice, many of these justice-involved veterans are dealing with invisible wounds of war—such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.
This Memorial Day, we recognize all those who have served and those dealing with the lasting effects of war and wrongful incarceration.
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05/20/2026
A HUGE congratulations to our recent Defender of Innocence sponsor and friends at Hunton on receiving the 2026 Frankie Muse Freeman Organizational Pro Bono Award from the Virginia State Bar's Access to Legal Services Committee. The award recognizes exemplary pro bono legal services to underserved Virginians. We are honored to have Hunton in our community!
Read more about their accomplishment here: https://ow.ly/BXrx50Z1Byc
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05/15/2026
Tonight is our annual fundraiser, Evening of Light! 🌟
This event will bring together our community to shine a light on the injustice in the criminal legal system and elevate the voices of those directly impacted by wrongful conviction. The presence and advocacy of our friends, donors, and sponsors stretches beyond the evening, to ensure that we will always be able to leave the light on for those still waiting to come home.
We are incredibly grateful to each member of our community for choosing to support us and create lasting change for those that are wrongfully convicted.
Thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts. We cannot wait to celebrate with you! 💞
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"My release from jail was one of the greatest days of my life. My mom and sister picked me up from the prison facilities and took me home. It fulfilled a dream I never thought would actually come true." - Michael McAlister
Though he has since passed, we still choose to honor Mike on his freedom day.
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Happy 4th Freedom Anniversary, Rodney Brown! On May 11, 2022, Rodney walked out of DC Jail a free man after spending more than 27 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.
We began working on Rodney's case in 2018 alongside Baker Botts and Rodney's original trial counsel. Through our efforts, new witnesses have come forward with significant exculpatory information, including information disclosing the real perpetrator.
Through the leadership of our partners at The Second Look Project Maggie Birkel and James Zeigler, Rodney was released under a Washington D.C. law, the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act, that helps ensure that people convicted of crimes committed when they were children do not spend the rest of their lives in prison.
We continue to the fight to clear Rodney's name.
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