In this episode of Unpacking Injustice, Montana Innocence Project client Katie Garding shares her experience on a three-day women’s backpacking retreat at Doris Lake near Whitefish, Montana. While this was her first backpacking adventure, her lifelong love of nature made the journey all the more meaningful. Katie describes the trip as freeing—an opportunity to be fully present in nature without the weight of her ongoing wrongful conviction. We discuss the details of her retreat, the emotions that surfaced upon her return home, and the grounding lessons that nature offers in presence and resilience.

Our mission is to free the innocent and unjustly incarcerated, and advocate for systems of Justice that are accurate, accountable, and fair for all. One of the main ways we achieve this is through providing free legal representation. On this episode, we are joined by MTIP Legal Director Brady Minow Smith who details the types of cases MTIP takes on and how to initiate the application process.

In Part 2 of this series, we continue our conversation with Katherine Judson, the Executive Director of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences. In this episode we will explore how similar symptoms to SBS/AHT can sometimes be overlooked or dismissed, further leading to misdiagnosis and how forensic and medical experts' biases or assumptions influence the outcomes of these cases. We'll also discuss the emotional toll SBS/AHT cases have on clients and their attorneys, the importance of collaborative efforts between medical and legal communities, and the need for ongoing research and updated scientific standards to prevent parents and caretakers from being wrongfully convicted based on this diagnosis.