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Loyola Project for the Innocent (LPI) client Kelvin Fuller was convicted of rape, kidnapping, and robbery in 1982, and was serving a life sentence.
LPI, together with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit, jointly petitioned Judge William C. Ryan to overturn Fuller’s conviction and grant him a Finding of Innocence. The petition was granted on Sept. 18, 2024, and LPI attorneys and students gathered at the courthouse to see him released and reunited with his family. This finding also cleared the way for state compensation to help him get back on his feet. Fuller walked out of the courtroom with his family, many of whom had tears of joy in their eyes.
“Anytime someone is wrongfully convicted the real perpetrator escapes justice, which harms everyone,” says Steve and Judy Page Executive Director Joe Trigilio. “Kelvin spent over 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and much of that time was the result of his being denied parole where he consistently maintained his innocence. We are grateful to the DA’s conviction integrity unit for their thorough investigation that proved he was telling the truth the entire time.”
LPI is committed to pursuing claims of actual innocence on behalf of those wrongfully convicted of crimes. As the only law school wrongful conviction clinic dedicated to serving Los Angeles County, LPI plays a vital role in addressing the region’s high rate of felony convictions. Since its inception, LPI has successfully exonerated 20 clients who collectively served 490 years in prison for crimes they did not commit.
For more information about the Loyola Project for the Innocent and its mission, please visit www.lls.edu/ProjectfortheInnocent.