Innocence & Justice Louisiana (formerly Innocence Project New Orleans) is the only nonprofit law firm in Louisiana focused on post-conviction relief representation and long-term support after release. We also drive systemic reform – challenging the laws and practices that have made Louisiana the most incarcerated place on Earth.
We represent people who have been wrongfully convicted and sent to prison, often for the rest of their lives. These innocent people are not provided legal teams by the state of Louisiana. Our attorneys and investigators fight to free the innocent by uncovering new evidence, exposing misconduct, and exonerating them.
Louisiana’s criminal legal system incarcerates more people per capita—and sentences more to life without parole—than any other place in the world. Harsh three-strikes laws, accomplice liability rules, and mandatory minimums impose extreme prison sentences without accounting for a person’s actual role in the crime or their capacity for growth and rehabilitation. At Innocence & Justice Louisiana, we fight to free the unjustly punished by challenging excessive sentences, litigating our clients’ rights to new sentences, representing them before the parole board, and uncovering new evidence that sheds light on their right to be free.
Our most recently freed client, Cheri Hayden, was freed in November after being wrongfully incarcerated for a 2008 murder she did not commit. Innocence & Justice Louisiana's investigation revealed multiple witnesses who attested that Cheri did not commit this crime and that another woman did, and Louisiana’s higher courts have determined that she is innocent. Cheri was able to celebrate the holidays at home with her family for the first time in over 17 years. She was even able to be there to welcome her grandchild into this world. Cheri's court case continues. The District Attorney has yet to agree to dismiss charges against her, but she is determined to fight for her full exoneration, and so is Innocence & Justice Louisiana.
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Innocence & Justice Louisiana (formerly Innocence Project New Orleans) frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences. We recognize the root causes of wrongful convictions and unjust sentences as systemic racism and inequities. We work to expose and address these root causes by sharing our clients’ stories in court, the legislature, the community and the media. We support our clients living well and fully in the world after their release.
Organization name
Innocence & Justice Louisiana
other names
Formerly Innocence Project New Orleans
Parish
Caddo
Parishes Served
Red River, Rapides, Madison, Richland, Webster, Union, Sabine, Ouachita, Natchitoches, Morehouse, Lincoln, Jackson, DeSoto, Claiborne, Caddo, Bossier, Bienville
Operating Budget
$1M-$3M
Sector
Crime Reduction/ Public Safety, Human Services, Racial Equity
Address
P.O. Box 792808