The mission of the Tennessee Innocence Project (TIP) is to free innocent people wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit, to raise awareness of this pressing issue, and to drive policy reforms that prevent future wrongful convictions.
Imagine someone you love is accused of a crime they didn't commit. You know their character and their innocence, but the charges are terrifying, and the stakes couldn't be higher. You might think that if they're truly innocent, the justice system will protect them.
But that's not always how it works. And every day they remain behind bars matters.
Since 1989, over 3,400 people in the U.S. have been exonerated after being wrongfully convicted. Collectively, these individuals lost over 30,000 years of their lives—years stolen from them for crimes they didn't commit. Behind each number is a person whose voice deserves to be heard.
That's where we come in.
Founded in 2019, the Tennessee Innocence Project (TIP) is the state's first full-time innocence organization. We focus on four critical areas:
Fighting for the wrongfully convicted – We investigate and litigate innocence cases to free innocent individuals from Tennessee's prisons, tackling issues like mistaken eyewitness identifications, false confessions, unethical official conduct, and inadequate legal representation.
Educating the next generation – We train law students and attorneys to recognize and prevent wrongful convictions through hands-on experience and specialized training.
Driving meaningful change – We advocate for laws that help uncover wrongful convictions and create pathways to justice for those who have been unjustly imprisoned.
Supporting exonerees post-release – We connect exonerees with resources that help them rebuild their lives in the free world, addressing the unique challenges they face after years of wrongful imprisonment.
In a little over five years, TIP has helped to secure nine exonerations, accounting for a total of 237 years lost behind bars. But there's still so much work to do. In 2024 alone, we received 161 new applications from individuals convicted in nearly 40 Tennessee counties—and that number keeps growing. Every case matters.
As our Executive Director, Jason Gichner, puts it:
"Every wrongful conviction is a tragedy—for the innocent person whose life is taken from them and for the integrity of the justice system. At the Tennessee Innocence Project, we stand firm in our belief that every innocent person deserves to be heard, to be believed, and ultimately, to be freed."
Despite limited resources, we carefully review every case, choosing the most compelling ones to fight. Together, we can build a future where wrongful convictions are a thing of the past and justice truly prevails. Take action today by volunteering, donating, or sharing our mission:
“Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.”
- Representative John Lewis