COLUMBUS – Franklin County’s prosecuting attorney has created a new unit to review and investigate claims of innocence and wrongful conviction.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jocelyn Stefancin will serve as director of the Conviction Integrity Unit in G. Gary Tyack’s office.
“As prosecutors, we have an ethical obligation to seek justice. One element of our duty is to ensure that no innocent person is wrongfully convicted or punished,” Tyack said.
Defendants, their attorneys, prosecutors, innocence projects personnel, court personnel and law enforcement can submit their applications to the new office on May 1.
If claims contained in the application meet criteria for further review, a full investigation will proceed and will ultimately be presented to the elected prosecutor, Tyack said.
Stefancin has served as an assistant prosecutor and as the chief public defender for Medina County.