Innocence Resources


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The Crucial Role of Appellate Defenders in Exposing Wrongful Convictions

Identifying wrongful convictions and advancing claims of actual innocence are integral parts of the work of every appellate defender at SADO. As part of their duty to ensure justice, appellate defenders and investigators rigorously review trial records and legal proceedings to uncover errors, misconduct, or miscarriages of justice that may have led to an unjust conviction. This includes a thorough examination of the evidence, witness testimony, and any new information that could point to our client’s innocence. By identifying and presenting claims of actual innocence, appellate defenders not only fulfill their ethical obligation to their clients but also help safeguard the integrity of the criminal legal system, ensuring that wrongful convictions are rectified swiftly.

SADO has a storied history of helping to free the wrongfully convicted, having exonerated dozens of people in the past two decades. (For more about our work in this regard, see this December 2025 op-ed from the Detroit News.) Many of these stories can be found on the National Registry of Exonerations, such as the freedom stories of:

  • James Grissom, exonerated by Assistant Defender Christine Pagac and Chief Investigator Linda Borus
  • Derrick Bunkley, exonerated by Assistant Defender Doug Baker, Chief Investigator Linda Borus, and Programmer Eric Buchanan
  • Roderick Pippen, exonerated by Managing Attorney Katherine Marcuz and Chief Investigator Linda Borus
  • Antonio Manzo-Diaz, exonerated by Assistant Defender Emma Lawton and Chief Investigator Julianne Cuneo
  • Duane Williams, exonerated by Assistant Defender Maya Menlo
  • Crystal Mulherin, exonerated by Assistant Defender Adrienne Young, Special Assistant Defender Tabitha Harris, and Investigator Angie Jackson  

Identifying wrongful convictions and advancing actual-innocence claims is a core part of our duty to every one of our clients. On this page, you will find a variety of resources, including links to innocence resources outside of our office.

Conviction Integrity Units

Innocence Projects

Michigan Innocence Clinic
University of Michigan Law School
701 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-3091
(734) 763-9353

Cooley Law School Innocence Project
300 South Capitol Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48933
(517) 371-5140
innocence@cooley.edu

Resources for Exonerees