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Academics Experiential Learning Clinical Program

Capital Punishment Clinic

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The Capital Punishment Clinic provides representation and consultation services in death penalty cases. Our clients are prison inmates, usually from the American South, who are challenging their convictions and sentences in the state and federal courts.
Our work has touched all stages of the criminal process, from trials and appeals, to state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings, to certiorari and merits-stage review in the Supreme Court of the United States. With the exception of oral argument, students have participated in all aspects of that representation.

Clinic Format and Student Experience

Clinic Cases

The clinic provides or assists with the representation of people under sentence of death. Past and current clients include individuals from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. While each client is unique, many of the clinic’s cases have involved issues of race, ethnicity, intellectual disability, and other severe mental impairments.

two men sitting on a porch

Edward Lee Elmore, a client the clinic worked to free from prison, and John Blume on Elmore’s porch.

Our work has touched all stages of the criminal process, from trials and appeals, to state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings, to certiorari and merits-stage review in the Supreme Court of the United States. With the exception of oral argument, students have participated in all aspects of that representation.

Cases are selected for the clinic based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the presence of issues on which we may offer particular expertise or competence; opportunities to combine academic interests with the advancement of client goals; and opportunities to add value to existing legal teams while offering pedagogically rich experiences to student participants.

class photo of students and faculty in matching hoodies

The spring 2024 clinic.

two students outside a prison

Clinic students Rohini Tashima and Andrew Guiang getting ready to interview clinic client Billy Kelly.

two students in front of a prison complex

Capital Punishment Clinic students Bridget Murphy and Wentao Yang getting ready to visit their client Herman Hughes at Broad River Correctional Institution in March 2023. Herman was 16 when initially sentenced to death. That was set aside and he is now up for parole.

posed group of people, many in red graduation robes

Current and former participants in the clinic at the 2023 convocation ceremony.

group of students in matching shirts outside the Law school

2017 Capital Punishment Clinic students.

A group of students wearing matching t-shirts

Students after the introductory boot camp at the start of the semester.

two young women and a man between

Clinic student Alessandra Scalise (left) and Clinic Fellow Amelia Hritz  (right) interviewing Rev. Delaine in South Carolina while working on the Anthony Woods case.

four students in an academic building

From left: Clinic students Branka Cimesa, Laura King, Bola Olofin, and Nate Smith returning from an investigation trip to South Carolina in clinic client Jimmy Robertson’s case.

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Clinic Faculty

John Blume
Samuel S. Leibowitz Professor of Trial Techniques and Director, Cornell Death Penalty Project
Email:
Phone:
(607) 255-1030
Type:
Permanent
Address:
Cornell Law School
112 Myron Taylor Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-4901
Susan Knight
Adjunct Professor of Law
Email:
Type:
Adjunct and Associated - Clinical
Address:
Cornell Law School
130 Hughes Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-4901
Sheri Johnson
James and Mark Flanagan Professor of Law
Email:
Phone:
(607) 255-6478
Type:
Permanent
Address:
Cornell Law School
245 Hughes Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-4901
Keir Weyble
Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Death Penalty Litigation
Email:
Phone:
(607) 255-3805
Type:
Permanent
Address:
Cornell Law School
G31 Hughes Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-4901

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