Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has established a new Justice Review Unit (JRU) in her office, directed by Appellate Attorney Donna Patalano. The JRU, formerly known as the Conviction Integrity Unit, will independently and impartially review innocence cases and lead in developing best practices for post-conviction discovery protocols. This initiative introduces a structured process for evaluating innocence claims and assisting other prosecutorial authorities.
Since 1990, 98 individuals have been exonerated in Massachusetts, equating to about 1,379 years lost due to wrongful incarceration, as reported by the National Registry of Exonerations.
“Communities are safer when people can trust that their law enforcement officials are securing justice, and when our justice system can recognize and learn from past mistakes,” said Attorney General Campbell. She believes the Justice Review Unit will significantly address wrongful convictions and commended Donna Patalano’s experience to lead the initiative.
Marissa Bluestine, Assistant Director at the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, highlighted Massachusetts' leadership in conviction review and the balance AG Campbell's approach strikes between prosecutorial independence and necessary resources for challenging cases.
Richard Cole, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Conviction Integrity Task Force, congratulated AG Campbell on launching the Justice Review Unit, emphasizing its role in promoting conviction integrity within the criminal legal system. He expressed optimism about collaborating with Donna Patalano and the JRU to uphold best practices for preventing and remedying wrongful convictions in the Commonwealth.
The JRU’s primary missions include screening innocence claims under expanded criteria, offering a process for the voluntary transfer of conviction integrity matters, providing training and policy leadership, and offering Discovery Assistance Review to District Attorney’s Offices upon request.
Donna Patalano, an appellate attorney, previously represented wrongly convicted individuals and conducted innocence investigations at her law firm. She also held a position as General Counsel at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, where she led the creation of the Commonwealth’s first conviction integrity unit in 2012. As Director of the JRU, she will focus exclusively on JRU matters independently from the AGO’s Criminal Bureau.
The JRU's launch coincides with Second Chance Month, a national event advocating for fair policies and opportunities for those with criminal records. The JRU will be part of establishing processes for reviewing post-conviction investigations, aligning with the month’s goals.