Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana

Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana (CPCPL) is a project led by the Lousiana Public Defender Board. The project provides high-quality direct representation to death-sentenced Louisiana clients in post-conviction and assists pro bono law firms representing capital post-conviction clients. CPCPL represents clients statewide, in any judicial district in which capital trials have occurred. State post-conviction representation provides the primary opportunity for a court to review newly discovered evidence that has come to light only after the original trial and death sentence have been finally adjudicated. CPCPL also contracts some cases to experienced private capital post-conviction litigators. State post-conviction representation provides the primary opportunity for a court to review newly discovered evidence that has come to light only after the original trial and death sentence have been finally adjudicated. In most cases, the original trial judge presides over the post-conviction proceedings. Capital post-conviction representation has led to the removal of persons from Louisiana’s death row to Angola’s general population and led to the release of additional men completely from incarceration. The project works to free these people who deserve to be released.