Innocence Project of Texas

=Organization=

The Innocence Project of Texas was founded in 2007 by the directors of several independent actual innocence organizations in the State of Texas. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions, and it is staffed by students, volunteers, dedicated attorneys, and an experienced Board of Directors. The organization is based in Lubbock, Texas, but it accepts cases from across the state. The Innocence Project of Texas investigates both DNA and non-DNA cases.

The Innocence Project of Texas is a member of the recently formed Innocence Network, which brings together a number of innocence organizations from across the United States.Cite web|url=http://www.innocencenetwork.org/|title=Mission Statement|accessdate=2006-12-12|publisher=Innocence Network]

Mission Statement

"The Innocence Project of Texas is a non-profit organization dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions and securing freedom for men and women wrongfully imprisoned for serious crimes in the State of Texas. We are comprised of dedicated student-volunteers and experienced legal advocates who donate countless hours and energy to investigate claims of actual innocence filed by inmates. Together, we are working to provide hope and reconciliation for those lost in a broken criminal justice system."Cite web|url=http://ipoftexas.org/about-us/|title=About Us|accessdate=2008-07-07|publisher=Innocence Project of Texas]

Board of Directors

Current IPOT Board members include:

* Michelle Moore – A Dallas County public defender responsible for several Dallas County exonerations, she is the current board president.
* Nicole Casarez – A lawyer and professor responsible for overturning the wrongful conviction of former death row inmate Anthony Graves, she is the current board secretary.
* Dr. John Stickels – A professor of criminology and former West Texas District Attorney.
* Joyce King - A former radio news anchor and author of "Hate Crime: The Story of a Dragging in Jasper, Texas".
* Jeff Blackburn – A civil rights attorney responsible for overturning the wrongful convictions of more than 30 wrongfully convicted individuals in Tulia, Texas, he is the organization's current chief counsel.
* Larry Moore – A Fort Worth criminal defense attorney with more than 30 years experience in criminal law.

References