Oklahoma Mother Heads Up The Innocence Project

She fought for her son Michael, who spent five years in prison for killing an Iraqi War detainee. But Vicky Behenna maintains her son’s innocence, and now she’s heading Oklahoma’s Innocence Project. 

Behenna was a federal prosecutor for 25 years. She said one reason she’s taking on this new role is because she believes prosecutors withheld evidence during her son’s trial seven years ago. 

3/25/14 Related Story: Michael Behenna Reflects On His Incarceration, Release

Oklahoma’s Innocence Project is staffed by students at OCU’s Law School in downtown Oklahoma City. 

“I mean you don’t understand unless you’ve been there, when you try to talk to somebody about how this conviction is wrong on these levels,” said Behenna. 

According to the Innocence Project, three to five percent of any prison population was wrongfully convicted.