Welcome to IPNZ

The Innocence Project New Zealand (IPNZ) investigates possible cases of wrongful conviction in the New Zealand legal system. The IPNZ is a joint venture between Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Otago.

IPNZ News

Sightings imply Alan Hall was wrongly jailed

IPNZ have gained documents from the Police under the Official Information Act that show-for the first time-numerous witnesses saw a tall-dark skinned man fleeing from Arthur Easton's murder scene. Read Phil Taylor's full story here.

Another witness comes forward in the Alan Hall case

In response to Phil Taylor's story in the NZ Herald last week, another witness has come forward with information that further supports IPNZ's claim that Alan Hall deserves a new trial. Read the full NZ Herald story here.

Another witness comes forward in the Alan Hall case

In response to Phil Taylor's story in the NZ Herald last week, another witness has come forward with information that further supports IPNZ's claim that Alan Hall deserves a new trial. Read the full NZ Herald story here.

Phil Taylor reports on IPNZ's first official case—Alan Hall

Alan Hall was convicted of the 1985 murder of Arthur Easton. IPNZ has named Mr Hall's case their first official case. In his story in the New Zealand Herald, Phil Taylor reports on many of the problems in the case. More

California has a new law aimed at reducing wrongful convictions caused by jailhouse informants

The Governor of California has signed a law that weakens testimony of jailhouse snitches. The law requires prosecutors to present corroborative evidence when jailhouse informants (also known as snitches) claim to have been told or overheard incriminating statements by the defendant. Read the LA Times story here. This law reflects sentiments by Greg King who warned that jailhouse informants' testimony could give rise to errors in New Zealand during his talk at the Miscarriages of Justice conference, August 2010.

Scott Watson's lawyers comment on Royal Prerogative of Mercy report

Scott Watson, who was convicted in for the 1999 murder of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope, has been given an opportunity to make submissions concerning a report on his Royal Prerogative of Mercy Application. Watson's legal team (headed by Greg King) are expected to make their submissions by August. Read the stuff.co.nz story here.

Australian researchers highlight potential errors with fingerprint evidence

A team of researchers, led by Dr. Jason Tangen at the University of Queensland, have recently published a paper in the journal Psychological Science that could lead courts to question the accuracy of some fingerprint evidence. Read the ScienceDaily story here.

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