Vol 3. Issue 40
Robert Johnson is Free.
Erisa Apantaku, Alison Flowers, Robert Johnson, and Dana Brozost-Kelleher the night of Robert Johnson's release.
On February 19th, the judge in Robert Johnson’s hearing officially vacated his conviction. His family members were overcome with joy, crying and clapping. Johnson was released from Cook County Jail the next day, and his grandmother—who turned 93 on March 9th—finally got to hug her grandson as a free man after 29 long years.
But Johnson’s fight for justice isn’t over. The state has said they will not appeal the judge’s decision, but they have continued their case until April 1st to decide if they will drop their charges against him. And although his conviction is vacated, he will still have to go through a separate process to receive his certificate of innocence.
For now, Johnson is acclimating back to life with his loved ones. In a press conference following his release, he said he wants to help others like him who have been wrongfully convicted. That advocacy has already begun: at the end of the month, WBEZ’s Prisoncast will air an interview between Johnson, Alison Flowers, and Erin Allen.
Update: National Police Index
The National Police Index (NPI), our database of police employment history that we launched in September, now includes data from 23 states, with more on the way. This tool has a huge potential impact. On her recent reporting on the NPI’s impact in Indiana, Farrah Anderson spoke to Duke law professor Ben Grunwald, one of the leading researchers on “wandering cops,” who said: “One way to help agencies not hire problematic officers is to have a complete database where they can call up the POST (Peace Officers Standards and Trainings board) and find out about every single job they've held in law enforcement in the state. That can help them surface red flags.”
As we’ve continued to push for the release of basic information — who cops are, and where they’ve worked — across the country, we’ve encountered legal obstacles. With local attorneys and journalists, we have worked to advocate for the public’s right to know this information across the country.
We’ve had some recent wins:
In Virginia, an appellate court rejected arguments from a sheriff’s office that it could withhold the names of the vast majority of its officers under claims that they could be undercover at any time. This case was brought by OpenOversightVA, a nonprofit that works to collect police employment data from agencies across the state because centralized data held by the Department of Criminal Justice Services has been withheld for years, and it was supported by an amicus brief from the University of Virginia First Amendment Clinic.
This decision will allow a separate case we brought in partnership with MuckRock, and represented by the UVA First Amendment Clinic, to move forward in pushing the state to reverse its longtime restriction on access to basic police data in Virginia.In neighboring Delaware, a judge found that the State Police could not withhold basic employment information about officers either, in a mixed opinion that largely found in favor of access. This case was brought by local newsroom Delaware Call, and has been supported by Invisible Institute.
We’ve also been blocked in one case; in a narrow opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the state POST board was justified in its withholding of employment history data. Colorado is among a minority of states blocking access to this data. Colorado remains in the minority of states keeping comprehensive police officer data secret.
Police groups have also responded inMinnesota, where the POST board released data showing officers apparently marked as “undercover,” though the data did not identify which officers. The POST board released updated data to Invisible Institute, which is what is now available on the NPI. The largest police association in the state hasfiled a class action complaintagainst the board on behalf of the officers whose information was released. It remains to be seen whether that case will result in a reduction of access to information in Minnesota, but we’ll be watching the case closely.
Annotating the Kalven Report
Chicago Maroon student reporters recently analyzed the Kalven Report, annotating the document in light of the current political moment.
➝ Read “Living Tradition” or “Administrative Fiat”?: Annotating the Kalven Report here.
On February 18, Jamie Kalven spoke at the University of Chicago about the legacy of the Kalven Report and the role of universities in protecting dissenting speech.
➝ View the recorded conversation here.
"Transparency shouldn’t be just a reluctant concession to the public. It should be a principle of governance."
In a conversation with Muckrock, Kalven discussed the landmark public records win in Kalven v. City of Chicago (2014), how AI can be used to analyze data received through FOIA, and his hopes for the future of the transparency landscape.
You're Invited: 10 Year Anniversary Bash
The Invisible Institute is marking its 10th Anniversary with a two-part 10 Year Anniversary Bash! The celebration will be held on April 24, 2025 at Maxwells Trading. The event will have a cocktail hour from 6:00pm - 7:00pm and a reception from 7:00pm - 9:00pm. For this once in a decade moment, we have crafted an event that honors the relationships of the past, present, and future. During the cocktail reception starting at 6pm, staff will be available to discuss upcoming investigations and talk shop. When the party begins at 7pm, we will celebrate our origins, enjoy each other’s company, and build connections for the road ahead.
April 24, 2025
Maxwells Trading
1516 W Carroll Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
Cocktail Reception: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Party: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Individual Ticket Prices:
Cocktail Reception (6pm) and Party (7pm): $225
Party (7pm): $150
Host Committee
John Bouman
Steve and Andrea Edwards
Janice Feinberg
Sonny Garg & Julia Harris
Adam Green
Jonathan Logan
Bozena and John McLees
Ronald Milsap
Rebecca Rosofsky and Stuart Flack
WuDi Wu
From now until March 31, 2025 we will offer 20% off tickets with code EARLYBIRD. Purchase tickets here.
