Griffith College Dublin

Griffith College Dublin leads the way in legal education by bringing world renowned Innocence Project to Ireland

The Irish Innocence Project was officially launched today at Griffith College Dublin by Dr. Greg Hampikian, director of the Idaho Innocence Project and DNA expert for the Georgia Innocence Project.

This is the first initiative of its kind in Ireland and is being led by David Langwallner, Dean of Law at Griffith College, where the Irish Innocence Project will make its home. He has worked closely with Dr. Hampikian and his colleagues in the USA and Canada, to tailor the programme to the Irish justice system.

The Innocence Network was co-founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld and uses DNA evidence to examine cases where there are claims of wrongful conviction. Since it began, 251 people have been exonerated in the USA; 17 of those people had served time on death row. The Irish Innocence Project (IIP) joins similar projects in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom as the international expansion of the project continues.

Langwallner and Griffith College faculty staff began work on the Irish Innocence Project in October 2009. Nine final-year law students are working with qualified and practising barristers, who in turn are working closely with Langwallner, to give post-conviction reviews of 14 cases. These were selected from a pool of 20 claims of wrongful conviction that were received by the Irish Innocence Project.

Pictured above Dean of Law at Griffith College David Langwallner(Irish Innocence Project) with Dr. Greg Hampikian

The students are reviewing all aspects of the chosen case, from the original investigation to the final appeal. Once a review is complete, the team will make a recommendation as to whether the case should be brought before the courts once more or if no further action should be taken.

“It is a great honour to be able to bring a programme such as this to Ireland,” Langwallner said. “Students will benefit enormously from this ground-breaking scheme and hopefully in years to come we will be producing results such as those currently being achieved by Dr. Hampikian and his colleagues in America.”

Hampikian said he is honoured to participate in opening and supporting the first Irish project.

“This kind of expansion shows the global need for innocence projects and the universal appeal of justice for the wrongfully imprisoned,” he said. “David’s vision and passion have attracted a very strong cadre of law students who have already begun work on several compelling cases.”

Hampikian brings to Ireland his experience of working on four US exonerations. He serves on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project, and is the co-author of “Exit to Freedom” which documents Calvin Johnson’s successful fight to prove his innocence after serving 17 years of a life-sentence in a Georgia prison.

"For more information on the Irish Innocence Project at Griffith College please log on to www.gcd.ie/innocenceproject and for more information about the Innocence Network and its projects log on to www.innocenceproject.org

About Dr. Greg Hampikian
Dr. Greg Hampikian is an internationally known DNA expert and professor of forensic biology. He is Director of the Idaho Innocence Project at Boise State University, Idaho, and the DNA expert for the Georgia Innocence Project. He has held research and teaching positions at: Yale University Medical School, Emory University, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Georgia Tech, La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia; and the University of Connecticut. He is currently Professor of Biology with a joint appointment in Criminal Justice at Boise State University.

Hampikian consults on court cases for both prosecution and defense throughout the United States, and has published in leading scientific journals including Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His laboratory at Boise State University works on forensic issues and basic biomedical research. Dr. Hampikian has also led workshops and given presentations across America and overseas at institutions such as Harvard University, The University of Georgia Law School, The University of Connecticut Advanced Genetics Technology Center, The Pasteur Institute in Paris, the Medical Research Council in Edinburgh, Scotland; and St. Mary’s Hospital in London.

A very popular speaker, Dr. Hampikian is a frequent keynote speaker at national conferences, and also offers outreach programs for teachers, schools, and civic organizations. He has been interviewed by leading news organizations such Good Morning America, Fox News, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal.
 

Pictured above Dean of Law at Griffith College David Langwallner(Irish Innocence Project) with Dr. Greg Hampikian

Dr. Greg Hampikian interviews Dr. Greg Hampikian interviewed by Tom McGurk, McGurk on 4, 4FM, March 5th, 2010 Dr. Greg Hampikian and David Langwallner interviewed by Pat Kenny, The Pat Kenny, RTE  Radio 1, March 4th, 2010 Dr. Greg Hampikian and David Langwallner interviewed about the Innocence Project by Fionn Davenport, Culture Shock, Newstalk, March 4th, 2010 Dr. Greg Hampikian interviewed by Matt Cooper, The Last Word, Today FM, March 9th, 2010

Posted on 05/03/2010 by Neil Buckley