The Midwest Innocence Project last week hosted its annual fundraiser event, with John Grisham delivering a presentation about the organization's main cause, defending those who had been wrongfully convicted. Several Kansas City-based firms collaborated to sponsor the event, and Phyllis Norman published a "call for volunteers" in this month's edition of KC Counselor magazine, summarizing the progress that volunteer attorneys in western Missouri have made recently as part of the project.
Continuing her volunteer role with the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association in aiding the Midwest Innocence Project, Phyllis has been a part of the steering committee that meets regularly to guide the project’s “Freedom Friday” initiative. The group addresses how pro bono attorneys from western Missouri can help mobilize young attorneys to provide pro bono legal and investigative services.
Grisham’s nonfiction book “The Innocent Man” was based on the cases of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz, both of whom were present on April 25. Also honored was Ellen Suni, dean of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, for her standout work in the area.
