Updated 2:05 p.m., 3/18/11
Northwestern abruptly replaced embattled Medill Innocence Project Director David Protess as the professor of its investigative journalism class for the spring quarter this week, leaving the future of the class unclear.
In an interview, Protess said he will continue to serve as director of the Innocence Project, but he doesn’t know if the project will continue to be involved with the class, which has traditionally conducted the project’s investigations.
“I am committed to continuing our investigations in these cases,” said Protess, a 29-year Medill professor. “Innocent prisoners should not be punished for the dean’s decision.”
Medill Dean John Lavine told Protess about the decision in an e-mail Monday, Protess said. No reason was given, and there have not yet been any conversations with Lavine or any Medill official about the future, he added.
Lavine was out of town after giving a speech to the Medill Club of Greater New York on Wednesday. He was unavailable for comment.
In a statement released Friday, University spokesman Al Cubbage did not address the professor switch, but commented generally about “recent media reports regarding the conduct of David Protess.”
“The work of Professor Protess and the Medill Innocence Project has gained national recognition and brought credit to Northwestern and Medill. More importantly, that work has helped free wrongfully convicted individuals from prison,” Cubbage said. “However, the laudable goal of the Innocence Project would not justify any improper actions that may have been taken by Professor Protess.”
(Read the full statement here.)
Protess said he is “disappointed” with the University’s decision “because last quarter’s class was the best group of students I’ve taught in years.”
It is unclear if the University’s decision is related to an ongoing “review” of the class launched in the fall after Cook County prosecutors produced evidence that Innocence Project students may have illegally recorded a witness without consent while investigating the case of Anthony McKinney, who was sentenced to life in prison for murder in 1981.
Prosecutors have alleged more ethics violations and have subpoenaed thousands of student memos and documents related to the investigation. Protess has refused to comply with that subpoena, but NU attorneys have turned over hundreds of documents and are currently reviewing thousands more.
The eight students enrolled in the class in the spring sent a petition Thursday to Medill Senior Director of Undergraduate Education Michele Bitoun asking the school to reconsider the decision and threatening to drop the class if it does not.
“If removing Protess is part of an effort by the University to discipline him for defending the integrity of the Innocence Project to which he and decades of students have given so much, please know that you are not punishing Prof Protess half as much as you are his students, and the two men still sitting behind bars,” the students wrote in the petition, which was obtained by The Daily.
(Read the full text of the petition here.)
“I think the move to inform the students and professors of the change so late in the game was unfair and unprofessional,” said Medill senior Quinn Thacker, one of the students in the class. “In my opinion, removing him from the class is a mistake. I’d like to know the reasons for the decision. I think the university has some explaining to do.”
Bitoun has not yet responded to the petition, said Medill senior Jared Hoffman, who is leading the effort. She did not return a phone message Friday morning.
Protess said he is not participating in the effort to reinstate him as the professor.
“This is something that’s coming from students, not from me,” he said. “This is an expression of their wish for next quarter. I’m certainly proud of their willingness to stand up for what they believe in.”
Third-year Medill Prof. Alec Klein, who taught the class in the fall while Protess was on leave, will teach the class in the spring. In an e-mail message to The Daily, Klein declined to comment.
“Professor Klein is going to have to decide what he wants to do with the class and it’s his prerogative,” Protess said. “I have no idea what he intends to do with the class. I don’t even know if it will be a class about wrongful convictions.”
The class had been scheduled to continue work on two cases, Stanley Wrice and Matthew Echevarria, in the spring. An attorney representing Wrice and Echevarria said he doesn’t know if he will work with the class next quarter.
“Our decision to allow (Wrice and Echevarria) to cooperate with the students was largely premised on the reputation of David Protess. If he is not going to be teaching the class next semester, then really we would have to re-evaluate that position and find out if we would have a positive working relationship with the professor that takes his place,” said Chicago attorney Robert Stephenson, who also represents Protess in the McKinney case.
Bitoun announced the professor switch in an e-mail to the class Tuesday.
“I wanted to let you know about a change in professor this spring for JOUR 373, in which you are all enrolled. Alec Klein, who taught this class in the fall, will be teaching the class again in spring in place of David Protess. I wish all of you a good spring break,” she wrote in the e-mail.
The students’ petition came on the same day as the Innocence Project recorded its 12th exoneration in its 12-year history. Eric Caine, who had been serving a life sentence for a double homicide and had his case investigated by the Innocence Project for three years, was freed from maximum security prison Thursday.
Protess said his continuing obligations as Innocence Project director includes his own reporting into cases, working on previous cases and responding to mail from prisoners and journalists.
“The innocent prisoners in jail transcend anything going on at Northwestern,” he said. “I’m not going to neglect the cause.”
Check back for more information throughout the day.
