The Innocence Network Conference took place in Atlanta last weekend and it was the biggest crowd yet, over 400 people attended including 86 exonerees. Sally and I both went in order to cover as much ground as possible. It was totally worth it we had a great time and met great people and learned a lot. I am still working on processing it all and will have more to say later I am sure but wanted to update you all with some photos and let you know that with this whole messiness going on in innocence related work in Texas I was becoming pretty disillusioned but talking with people at the conference helped me to regain my faith that the movement as a whole is good and honest and trying to do the right thing and that this Texas mess is an exception and not the rule. Even before the conference had officially begun Sally and I met Rickie and heard his story of 27 years of wrongful imprisonment. Later on the first night (we stayed up way past our bedtime) having cocktails and talking with exonerees we heard a lot of incredible stories. Their stories of survival are truly inspiring and each one could write a book or sell an option for a screen play on the massive injustice done to them. One of then criticized police publicly for not having found who murdered his wife and he quickly became the prime suspect for embarrassing the police publicly. Another was released and walked out of prison a free man with no shoes. I am struck again as always by the enormous desire of each of them to give back and help the next person who is getting out or even still in and deserves to be out. It was truly a blessing to be there and in their presence. PS- I promise to try to remember to bring a better camera next time