NU Innocence Project Professor Pulled from Class

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 22, 2011 1:00PM

Lord help Northwestern's instructors. If they aren't allowing live sex toy demonstrations, they're being pulled from class for the upcoming quarter. That's what happened to Medill School of Journalism professor David Protess, the founder of that school's Innocence Project.

Protess has been dogged by allegations surrounding the Innocence Project's investigation into Anthony McKinney, who was convicted of murdering a security guard in 1978 and is currently receiving a life sentence. The Cook County State's Attorney's office subpoenaed student notes and grades, suggesting that Protess gave them better grades in exchange for evidence of innocence. Students have also worn wires while interviewing witnesses, which is prohibited under most circumstances in Illinois (Protess asserts that, since a private investigator was accompanying the students, the wires were allowed).

The ethics allegations were serious enough that NU hired former prosecutor Anton Valukas to conduct a separate investigation, and an attorney hired by the university to defend Protess resigned, saying that Protess wasn't entirely forthcoming or cooperative with him.

Protess will continue to head the Innocence Project, which has been instrumental in helping to free 10 former inmates from prison, including people on death row. But Protess said it's unclear whether the Innocence Project will continue to be affiliated with Medill. Northwestern released a statement explaining the decision to pull Protess from the current slate of classes.