Studies indicate that anywhere from 4 to 10% of inmates in the U.S. and
state prison systems are wrongfully convicted. All too often, the innocent
are people of color, people with mental disabilities, and people with low
economic status.
From its inception as a purely volunteer and independent 501(c)3
organization, NMIJP has worked to reach innocent people convicted in
New Mexico, and use civil means to provide them with the only potential for
access to justice that they may ever receive.
In 2010, NMIJP was awarded a federal grant which sustained the project
through 2017. With a full-time director and a staff attorney, we were able to
pursue preliminary reviews of several hundred claims of innocence.
Approximately 50 of those were identified for further investigation. To date,
two of those cases have been litigated; one man was granted a new trial.
The other case is still in litigation.
All of our current efforts are voluntary and, consequently, limited.
We are seeking significant funding that would allow us to ramp up our
operation – namely, hire an executive director and a staff attorney.
NMIJP is a neutral organization. Our allegiance is to the innocent people
sitting in our state prisons for crimes they did not commit.