Cook County State's Attorney Demanding Full Disclosure From Northwestern's Medill Innocence Project In The Anthony McKinney Case
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Cook County 
State's Attorney's Office has subpoenaed Northwestern "students' grades, notes and recordings of witness interviews, the class syllabus and even e-mails they sent to each other and to professor David Protess of the university's Medill School of Journalism." These students claim to have uncovered evidence which exonerates Anthony McKinney, a Harvey man, accused of killing a security guard with a shotgun blast in 1978.
McKinney is seeking a new-trial based on the students evidence, but the Cook County State's Attorney is seeking to uncover how this "so-called" new evidence has surfaced. Northwestern is fighting back against the subpoena, claiming it is is harassing and irrelevant. "I don't think it's any of the state's business to know the state of mind of my students," Protess said.
Why is Northwestern getting all defensive? What are they hiding? The State's Attorney is trying to figure out if there is any motivation on the students part to "uncover" exonerating evidence. The Innocence Project has been quick to criticize the over-zealous prosecutor or police officer for "doing what ever it takes" to secure a conviction. Well now the shoe is on the other foot. Students on university campuses are motivated by "the cause" and frequently do whatever it takes - because in their minds the ends justify the means. Its nice to finally see the State's Attorney's Office question the students motivations. We don't know the details and truly hope that the students motivations and actions are legit.
