Earlier this month, members of our team attended the Innocence Network Conference in Chicago alongside client Bernard Pease Jr. and his sister Linda Thomas. The conference brings together directly impacted individuals, advocates, attorneys, and organizations from across the country working to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and support people returning home after release.
For our team, it was a powerful reminder that Montana is part of a growing national movement committed to truth. The experience was energizing and inspiring for everyone who attended.
Brady Minow Smith, Legal Director
Brady shared that one of her biggest takeaways was learning new ways to use expert witnesses and specialized expertise to strengthen cases and better serve clients. She was proud to share Bernard’s story and the Montana Innocence Project’s new strategic direction with the broader innocence community. Brady also reflected on how powerful it was to hear directly from exonerees and freed individuals who shared their stories at the conference’s close, saying their resilience and refusal to give up were deeply moving. She returned home, in her words, with “new energy to tackle injustice in Montana.”
Charlie McWeeny, Intake & Pro Bono Coordinator
Charlie attended his first Innocence Network Conference and was struck by the sheer size and strength of the movement — exonerees, family members, advocates, and legal teams all united around justice. Charlie shared that conversations about advances in forensic science opened new possibilities for testing and evidence review in older cases, and he was excited to workshop litigation strategies with attorneys from across the country that may help current Montana clients. But what stood out most was the response to the Montana Innocence Project’s evolving work. Charlie said his time in Chicago reinforced his belief that even among innocence organizations, MTIP is unique. Organizations from across the country were eager to learn about our expansion into unjust conviction and manifest injustice cases. Their enthusiasm confirmed his belief that MTIP is charting exciting new territory through this work.
Bernard Pease Jr., Freed Client
For Bernie, the conference offered something equally powerful: connection. Hearing what others had survived and overcome reminded him that he was not alone. He shared that the experience made him feel stronger and gave him positive energy. He emphasized that what stood out most was being there with the support of Montana Innocence Project staff and his sister, Linda. Bernie reflected, “I learned about other people and what they went through. It really made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”
Linda Thomas, Bernie’s Sister
For Linda, the conference was eye-opening and unforgettable. She shared that she learned there is “so much more than I ever dreamed of” when it comes to the innocence movement and the people working to correct injustice. Linda spoke proudly about the national community fighting for people they believe are innocent. She was especially moved by hearing courageous stories from others impacted, including a former police officer who stepped away from working in the system after seeing someone he loved become caught in it. Her favorite memory was watching her brother and other freed and exonerated people walk onto the stage. Linda said passionately, “Every citizen of the United States should go to one of these and see what happens. Everybody should attend one.”