I was there when Barry and Peter pitched the idea of the Innocence Project.

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John —

I started working with Barry Scheck back in 1988 when he was a partner to a solo practitioner at a small law firm in New York City. Barry, who at that time was also a professor at Cardozo Law School since 1978, hired me as his personal assistant after the firm dissolved in 1991. I’ve been working alongside him ever since.

I was there when Barry and Peter Neufeld — Barry’s friend and colleague from the Bronx Legal Aid Society — pitched the idea of the Innocence Project to the other Cardozo clinicians. I don’t think any of us ever imagined that their vision would evolve into a national organization with the power to reform the criminal justice system.

Monday marks 28 years of the Innocence Project, and for its 28th birthday, I’d love it if you helped us celebrate.

Will you chip in $28, or whatever you can, to help us keep fighting for the innocent for many years to come? ([link removed])

There were some things that really stuck out to me in those early days.

I’ll never forget the flood of mail we received after Barry went on The Phil Donahue Show and asked the wrongly convicted to "write the Innocence Project at Cardozo Law School for help." We got thousands of letters, overloading the law school's mail room. We had to stack mail bins from floor to ceiling outside of Barry's office. To me, it was such a powerful visual representation of the urgent need to fix our justice system.

Through the years, it’s ultimately the stories of clients and their families that keep me going. Even though I feel like I only have a small part in our clients' freedom, there is truly no better feeling than to be able to help give someone back their life.

So please, if you can, help the Innocent Project celebrate 28 years of fighting for the wrongfully convicted by making a donation today. ([link removed])

I feel honored to be part of Barry and Peter's vision. After 28 years, I continue to be inspired by their endless pursuit of justice for those that have been wronged by our broken justice system.

Thanks,

Liz Vaca
Executive Assistant to Co-Founders and Special Counsel
Innocence Project
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