The Wisconsin Innocence Project based at the UW Law School continues to be covered by national television. Current projects are:
-- The Evan Zimmerman case. The Wisconsin Innocence Project represented ex-policeman Zimmerman on appeal, and got his conviction reversed based on ineffective assistance of counsel. The Innocence Project is now working with the new trial attorney on the case, Keith Belzer, of La Crosse, to represent Zimmerman at his retrial, which began April 25, 2005. That case is being documented by a film crew from the Arts & Entertainment network (A & E) for the program "American Justice," hosted by Bill Kurtis. Zimmerman's case will be the subject of a one-hour documentary on this program. For a newspaper article on this, see below.
-- Zimmerman's case is also the subject of a dramatization being produced for the television program "Guilty or Innocent?" . The script is currently in progress. This version tells the story of Zimmerman's conviction and the work of the Innocence Project to obtain a reversal of his conviction.
-- The case of Christopher Ochoa is also the subject of a "Guilty or Innocent?" dramatization currently in production. Ochoa, currently a second-year student at the Law School, was exonerated in Texas in 2001 by the efforts of the Innocence Project and now works with the Project.
More on the Zimmerman case: reprinted from the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, April 20, 2005:
Show to feature Zimmerman case
Dan Holtz
Leader-Telegram Staff
The 2000 murder of Kathleen Thompson of Eau Claire and subsequent trials of her accused killer, Evan Zimmerman, are receiving national attention.
A three-member television crew from Towers Productions in Chicago was in Eau Claire Tuesday to film the final pre-trial motions hearing in Zimmerman's case.
The crew also spent the day in Eau Claire to record background footage on the case.
The crew will be at Zimmerman's two-week trial in Dodge County, which begins Monday.
An episode of American Justice on the A&E cable television network will feature the Zimmerman-Thompson case.
American Justice is a 60-minute criminal documentary program anchored by veteran journalist Bill Kurtis.
Towers Productions creates shows for various cable networks but American Justice is its flagship program, said Elissa Stohler, the company's director of story development for American Justice.
The Zimmerman-Thompson program likely will air in about four or five months, she said.
We find our stories through reading newspapers and by searching online, Stohler said.
"This case attracted us because it's an interesting story and has great issues," she said.
The fact that Zimmerman was convicted of the murder and later granted a second trial because of ineffective counsel adds to the lure of the case, Stohler said.
"There's a lot at stake for the defendant and the prosecution," she said.
Most of the cases featured on American Justice are done retrospectively.
The Zimmerman-Thompson case will be one of the first American Justice programs to show a case as it unfolds in the courtroom, Stohler said.
"This is something where we want to see the inner workings of the system," she said.
Holtz can be reached at 833-9207, (800) 236-7077 or dan.holtz@ecpc.com.
Submitted by on April 27, 2005
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