A Second Chance at Justice for Aaron Oliphant: MTIP Legal Team Breaks Down New Evidence

In this episode of Unpacking Injustice, Montana Innocence Project Legal Director Brady Minow Smith and Intake & Pro Bono Coordinator Charlie McWeeny discuss a major new development in the Aaron Oliphant case.Aaron was wrongfully convicted in 2016 after doctors claimed his infant son’s injuries were caused by abusive head trauma, often referred to as Shaken Baby Syndrome. Now, MTIP has filed a new post-conviction relief petition presenting newly uncovered medical evidence that challenges the foundation of the prosecution’s case.In this conversation, Brady and Charlie explain:Why Aaron’s original trial attorney failed to provide an adequate defenseHow missing medical records impacted the case for yearsThe new expert findings that challenge the prosecution’s timeline and medical conclusionsHow new evidence shows that the injuries are just as likely to be accidental as non-accidentalThe broader national conversation surrounding Shaken Baby Syndrome and abusive head trauma prosecutionsWhat could happen next in Aaron’s caseThe episode also explores larger questions about expert testimony, ineffective assistance of counsel, and what justice looks like when critical evidence was never presented at trial.At the center of this case is Aaron Oliphant — a man who has spent years incarcerated while maintaining his innocence, and who is now seeking the opportunity to finally present evidence a jury never heard.