On October 13, 2020, the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole recommended our client Katie Garding be transferred to a pre-release center where she may be released after a minimum of one year. In the wake of this news, Katie’s dad shared a song with us that he wrote around the time of her wrongful conviction, and her family reflects on what the song means to them now.
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After nearly 40 years, Montana Innocence Project client Bernard Pease Jr. left prison on January 4 and was transferred to the pre-release center in Billings. He was granted parole subject to an extended pre-release stay late last year. We visited Bernard at the center last week to discuss the beginning of his re-entry journey. He spoke about his anxiety around new experiences, getting to see his sister Linda with fewer restrictions, and his hopes of working in the fishing guide industry. Listen to our conversation by clicking the link in our bio or by searching "Unpacking Injustice" on your favorite podcast platform.
Listen to Barry Beach's story on @wrongfulconviction with @itsjasonflom ! Barry's case largely inspired the establishment of the Montana Innocence Project, and he continues to be an avid supporter of our work and innocence work worldwide. The podcast episodes at the link in our bio!
“Freedom, family, getting some of that dignity back—some of that confidence back. I was always so defeated by the system that I just felt like I was going through the motions, but now that I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like a human again.” MTIP client Joseph Jefferson-Dust and his mom reflect on spending the holidays together after his release in August. Full story at the link in the bio!
The Montana Innocence Project is seeking a Staff Attorney, Post-Conviction Investigative Lead to join our team! The Staff Attorney investigates and litigates claims of actual innocence, working with a wide range of experts and investigators across the state and especially in tribal communities.
The Montana Innocence Project is excited to announce the premier of Unpacking Injustice—a podcast that tells the real stories behind wrongful and unjust convictions and illuminates the complex issues responsible for making our criminal justice system unjust.
The 2023 Legislative Session is just around the corner!