Recent Medill Justice Project investigations. Photos courtesy of the state’s department of corrections except for the photo of McKinley “Mac” Phipps Jr., which is courtesy of Sheila Phipps; Kenny “Zulu” Whitmore, which is courtesy of Billy X. Jennings’ Black Panther Party archival collection; Kate Parker, which is by Allisha Azlan/The Medill Justice Project; and Steven Slutzker, which is courtesy of Slutzker.
The Steven Slutzker Case
Investigation:
March 7, 2017: Stranger Than Fiction?: Can a witness suddenly remember a crime 15 years later?
April 3, 2017: Stranger Than Fiction?: MJP publishes what is believed to be the most comprehensive publicly available database of recovered memory cases
April 6, 2017: Stranger Than Fiction?: Investigating an old murder case built on circumstantial evidence, The Medill Justice Project finds police records and witness accounts that don’t add up
The Tonia Miller Case
Investigation:
Dec. 20, 2016: Shaken: MJP audio story delves into shaken-baby syndrome case of teenage mother in Michigan
Dec. 20, 2016: Shaken: Could accidents and illnesses discovered by MJP have played a role in a child’s death?
Dec. 20, 2016: Shaken: MJP examines the use of demeanor to assess if someone is culpable of a crime
Dec. 20, 2016: Shaken: MJP video documents the impact of a shaken-baby syndrome case on family and friends
The Rodney Fisher Case
Investigation:
Sept. 19, 2016: Crime and Punishment
The William Thomas “Tommy” Zeigler Case
Investigation:
June 13, 2016: Death Denied: Crucial details overlooked in case against Florida man condemned to death row, Medill Justice Project investigation finds
July 13, 2016: Death Denied: Medill Justice Project podcast provides rare behind-the-scenes look at investigation of death row inmate’s case
Dec. 21, 2016: Death Denied: The Medill Justice Project premieres death penalty documentary, ‘Sword of Damocles’
The Kate Parker Case
Investigation:
Dec. 17, 2015: A Mother’s Care: Oregon stay-at-home mom faces trial in rare medical child abuse case
Dec. 17, 2015: Medical Child Abuse: The Family Left Behind
Case updates:
Dec. 23, 2015: Prosecutors to Dismiss Several Charges Against Oregon Mother Accused of Medical Child Abuse
Jan. 6, 2016: Prosecutors to Dismiss Last of Most Serious Charges in Oregon Medical Child Abuse Case
Jan. 22, 2016: Settlement Conference Hearing Set in Oregon Medical Child Abuse Case
Feb. 23, 2016: BREAKING NEWS: KATE PARKER IS SET FREE
Feb. 23, 2016: Settlement Is Reached in Rare Oregon Medical Child Abuse Case
Feb. 23, 2016: Kate Parker Expresses Excitement About Being Reunited With Her Family
Feb. 23, 2016: Kate Parker’s First Emotional Moments of Freedom
Feb. 23, 2016: Kate Parker Joyously Talks by Phone With Her Children as She Heads Home
Feb. 23, 2016: Kate Parker Looks Back as She Moves Forward
Feb. 23, 2016: Kate Parker Embraces Her Family in First Moments Back Home
Feb. 23, 2016: Coming Home: Kate Parker celebrates her sudden freedom amid family and friends–and happy disbelief
Feb. 23, 2016: Family Voices
Feb. 24, 2016: Photo Essay: Scenes of a Family Reunited
Feb. 25, 2016: Kate Parker’s Legal Team Reflects on the Case
Feb. 26, 2016: The Evanescence of Home
Feb. 27, 2016: Photo Essay: The Day After
Feb. 29, 2016: The Fight That Wasn’t
The Claudia Jimenez-Cedillo Case
Investigation:
Aug. 17, 2015: A Case Interpreted: Seven years ago, a child’s death broke up two Mexican families and their American dream
The Andre Gonzales Case
Investigation:
June 9, 2015: Code of Silence: Medill Justice Project tracks down eyewitness 10 years later who says convicted killer didn’t commit the crime
June 9, 2015: Photo Essay: Liberty City
Case updates:
June 11, 2015: Prosecutors to Investigate Claims That a Miami Man Convicted of Murder Is Innocent
June 18, 2015: Excerpts From an Interview: Arnold “Maniac” Clark
Dec. 18, 2015: Miami Man Files Motion to Vacate Murder Conviction
May 2, 2017: Code of Silence: Key eyewitness, concerned about reprisals, says he won’t testify in Miami murder case
Aug. 9, 2017: Code of Silence: Distance and time, prison commodities, stretch before Andre Gonzales as he awaits a September court hearing in Miami that he hopes will lead to his freedom
The McKinley ‘Mac’ Phipps Jr. Case
- Read the story on The Lens’ website here.
Case updates:
Sept. 15, 2016: Former Rising Rap Star Seeks Clemency In Murder Conviction
The Kenny ‘Zulu’ Whitmore Case
Investigation:
July 19, 2014: Louisiana Warden Considers End to Inmate’s Solitary Confinement After More Than Three Decades
- Read the story on The Lens’ website here.
- Read the story on The Advocate’s website here.
- Read Time’s story on MJP’s interview here.
Aug. 4, 2014: No Word From Warden Cain of Angola About Prisoner’s Fate
Aug. 26, 2014: Panther Proof: Angola Warden Says Black Panther Party Advocates Violence and Racism but Is It True?
Aug. 26, 2014: Photo Essay: Panther Tracks
Aug. 28, 2014: In the Hole: Solitary Confinement Comes Under Greater Scrutiny in the United States
- Read the story on The Lens’ website here.
Case updates:
April 28, 2016: MJP CONFIRMS ZULU RELEASED FROM SOLITARY
April 28, 2016: Inmate Released From Solitary Confinement After About 36 Years, MJP Confirms
May 11, 2016: Alone No More: After over three decades in isolation, inmate Kenny “Zulu” Whitmore is acclimating to his new life in the general prison population
Records:
Documents: The Kenny “Zulu” Whitmore Case
The Jennifer Hancock Case
- Read the day one story on Wisconsin State Journal’s website here.
- Read the day two story on Wisconsin State Journal’s website here.
Case updates:
March 11, 2014: Judge Denies Access to Infant’s Medical Records
March 27, 2014: Medill Justice Project to Appeal Denial of Access to Medical Records
June 11, 2014: Medill Justice Project Files Brief in Appeal for Medical Records
July 3, 2014: Wisconsin Innocence Project Takes on Day Care Provider’s Case to Challenge Conviction
June 2, 2015: Appeals Court Grants Medill Justice Project Access to Medical Records
July 7, 2015: Medill Justice Project Petitions Wisconsin Appeals Court to Make Medical Records Public
The Chad Enderle Case
Investigation:
Dec. 23, 2013: CSI Effect: How an Iowa Murder Case Turned on a Fingerprint Found on a Cigarette Box
- Read the story on Quad City Times’ website here.
Case updates:
Oct. 14, 2014: Iowa Prisoner Fights Conviction in Federal Court
The Jennifer Del Prete Case
Investigation:
Sept. 5, 2012: Tia’s Story
March 19, 2013: How a Murder Case Hinged on Expert Witnesses
March 19, 2013: For the First Time, The Medill Justice Project Records an On-Camera Interview with Del Prete in Prison
March 19, 2013: Medical Experts Offer New Theories About an Infant’s Cause of Death
Case updates:
Aug. 23, 2012: Illinois Attorney General Challenges Medill Innocence Project’s Access to Infant’s Medical Records
Aug. 28, 2012: Judge Bars Access to Infant’s Medical Records
Feb. 12, 2013: Federal Judge Opens Infant’s Records in Response to Medill Justice Project
Feb. 28, 2013: Illinois Prisons Allow Medill Justice Project to Record Video of Prisoners for First Time
March 25, 2013: Attorney Says Newly Discovered Evidence ‘Undercuts’ Conclusion About Infant’s Death
April 24, 2013: Federal Innocence Hearing Reopened After Medill Justice Project Uncovers New Evidence
April 30, 2013: Key Medical Evidence Turned Over in Shaken-Baby Syndrome Case
May 28, 2013: Decade-old Police Detective’s Letter Discovered by Medill Justice Project Leads to Attorney’s Motion for New Appeal
June 21, 2013: Del Prete Murder Conviction Questioned in Federal Hearing
Jan. 27, 2014: Federal Judge Rules No Reasonable Jury Would Find Day Care Worker Guilty
Jan. 29, 2014: Attorneys for Day Care Worker Ask for More Time in Federal Court
Feb. 5, 2014: Defense Attorneys for Day Care Worker Plan to File Claim in Federal Court That Prosecutors Withheld Evidence
Feb. 19, 2014: Attorneys for Day Care Worker File Claim in Federal Court That Prosecutors Withheld Evidence
Feb. 20, 2014: Prosecutors Request Time to Respond to Del Prete’s Claim That Evidence Was Withheld
March 27, 2014: Illinois Attorney General Takes No Position on Del Prete’s Release From Prison
April 21, 2014: Del Prete to Be Released From Prison
April 23, 2014: When the Call Came: A Day of Hope for Del Prete
April 23, 2014: Coming Home: A Daughter Reflects on Her Mother’s Release From Prison
April 23, 2014: Even Amid Joy, There Is Unease: Del Prete’s release from prison evokes mixed emotions
April 24, 2014: From Prison to Release: A Timeline
April 28, 2014: Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys Agree on Conditions of Del Prete’s Release
April 29, 2014: Brief: Del Prete Hearing Rescheduled
April 30, 2014: BREAKING NEWS: JENNIFER DEL PRETE IS RELEASED FROM PRISON
April 30, 2014: Del Prete Released From Prison
May 1, 2014: Photo Essay: First Moments of Freedom
May 1, 2014: Open Doors: Exclusive Video of Del Prete Emerging From Prison
May 1, 2014: MJP Students React: Reflections on the Del Prete Investigation
May 1, 2014: Del Prete Makes First Public Appearance After Being Released From Prison
May 8, 2014: Ripple Effects: Judge’s ruling in Del Prete case is already having an impact on shaken-baby syndrome in the legal arena
Dec. 15, 2014: Life After: Months after being released from prison, Jennifer Del Prete discovers a hard truth about the confines of life on the outside
April 9, 2015: Court Rules Del Prete Can File New Petition in Light of New Evidence Discovered by MJP
Sept. 29, 2015: Role Call: Women in Prison
May 6, 2016: Witnesses in Court Hearing Say Key Information Was Withheld as Del Prete Continues to Fight to Clear Her Name
Aug. 9, 2016: From Incarceration to Freedom: A Journey of Faith
Aug. 29, 2016: BREAKING NEWS: JUDGE REVERSES DEL PRETE’S MURDER CONVICTION, ORDERS NEW TRIAL
Aug. 29, 2016: Judge Reverses Del Prete’s Murder Conviction, Orders New Trial
May 9, 2017: Missed Moments, New Memories
May 9, 2017: Daughter and Mother in Motion
May 9, 2017: Photo Essay: Freewheeling
July 10, 2017: Hidden Scars
July 10, 2017: Shadows and Ghosts
Records:
Documents: The Jennifer Del Prete Case
The Pamela Jacobazzi Case
Investigation:
Dec. 6, 2012: Images From a Murder Investigation
Dec. 11, 2012: Medill Innocence Project Probes 18-Year-Old Child-Abuse Case, Examining Medical Advances That Challenge Chicago-Area Day Care Owner’s Murder Conviction
March 19, 2013: For the First Time, The Medill Justice Project Records an On-Camera Interview with Jacobazzi in Prison
Case updates:
Nov. 21, 2012: Medill Innocence Project Seeks Police Records From ’94 Case: Denied Records, Northwestern Journalism Students Appeal to the Illinois Attorney General
Dec. 10, 2012: Update: FOIA Fight
Feb. 28, 2013: Illinois Prisons Allow Medill Justice Project to Record Video of Prisoners for First Time
April 25, 2013: Chicago-Area Day Care Owner Seeks Clemency From Governor
June 6, 2013: Judge Lifts Ban on Releasing Records From ’94 Case Sought by Medill Justice Project
July 31, 2013: Illinois Attorney General Orders Release of Records From ’94 Case
Oct.10, 2013: Day Care Owner Makes Her Case for Governor’s Clemency
Records:
Documents: The Pamela Jacobazzi Case
The Ariel Gomez Case
Investigation:
Dec. 8, 2011: New Findings Challenge Chicago Man’s ’98 Murder Conviction
Dec. 8, 2011: Behind B18: Investigating the Ariel Gomez Case
Dec. 8, 2011: Video: ‘The Story Behind the Story’
March 14, 2012: Finding Paul Yalda: Students Track Down the Last Witness in the Pathfinder
March 14, 2012: The Last Boy: After a Murder, a Witness Spirals Down and Out in Arizona
March 14, 2012: Collateral Damage: Two Wives Cope with the Aftermath of a Murder
Records:
Documents: The Ariel Gomez Case
The Donald Watkins Case
Investigation:
June 7, 2011: Investigation Raises Questions About Man’s Murder Conviction
June 7, 2011: Haunted Memory
June 7, 2011: The Story Behind the Story
Case updates:
Nov. 1, 2011: Watkins Appointed Attorney: New Findings Can’t Be Raised Unless There’s a New Appeal
Aug. 4, 2014: Special Cook County Unit Declines to Reinvestigate Chicago Man’s Murder Case
Records:
Documents: The Donald Watkins Case
