The Alabama Capital DNA Testing Project

I am consistently amazed at the capacity of our students and alumni to work on critical pro bono issues which significantly serve the cause of justice . This blog is about a recent contribution

This semester, the Cumberland Public Interest Program and the Baker Donelson law firm created the Alabama Capital Litigation DNA Testing Project. The project was created to assist persons in the Alabama prison system to avail themselves of a new law passed by the legislature involving DNA testing. Inmates were given until August 2010 to raise DNA testing issues about their capital murder conviction. The project utilizes the research and analytical skills of recent Cumberland graduate and bar admittees who serve as fellows and current Cumberland law students who serve as research assistants. The Fellows and Research Assistants work together to identify inmates who may be affected by the new DNA law.

The Fellows and Assistants are reviewing the case files of every inmate who was convicted of a capital offense but who is now serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole to determine which inmates must file a DNA testing motion by August 10th. Once those cases are identified, letters will be sent to the affected inmates about their rights involving DNA testing and lawyers will be recruited to assist with the appropriate filing.

The Fellows and Assistants are working tirelessly to identify and contact possibly wrongfully-convicted inmantes before the limitation period runs.

Fellows for the project are Cumberland alumni Tim Cook, Stacie Irwin, Rachel LaFleur, Allison Miller and Meg Phillips. The Research Assistants are current Cumberland students Ben Cohn, James Van Cleave and Alex Ulbricht.

Thanks to these Cumberland graduates and students who are giving so much of their time for the cause of justice.