Illinois Innocence Project: Freeing the Wrongly Convicted | Springfield News

Thirty-four wrongfully convicted people in Illinois have been freed thanks to the state’s only undergraduate-based innocence project, which has reclaimed nearly eight hundred years of stolen lives. Founded in 2001, this powerhouse team trains police statewide to prevent future miscarriages of justice and tackles a crushing backlog—reviewing just 1% of the 200+ annual applications due to strict eligibility rules. Real stories like Brian Beals, freed after 35 years, and Angel Gonzalez, exonerated after 21, underscore the human cost. Beyond freeing the innocent, they’re changing laws: banning deceptive interrogations of minors and securing compensation up to $50K per year for exonerees. With student interns and relentless advocacy, they’re fighting an epidemic—and rebuilding lives, one case at a time. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7f1dda654ff09ba7