Amicus was founded in 1992 in memory of Andrew Lee Jones. Despite a lack of scientific evidence linking him to the crime, Andrew was charged with murder and executed in Louisiana in 1991. Details of his mental illness were withheld by the prosecution, vital mitigation was not presented and he was represented by an inexperienced lawyer who had never tried a capital case. Andrew was convicted by an all-white jury in a trial that took less than a day. Good legal representation could have saved Andrew’s life. Instead, his death led to the formation of Amicus.
Amicus runs a comprehensive bi-annual training programme in US capital defence law and procedure, legal research, evidence and professional conduct. The training takes place over two weekends: the firsts consists of theoretical training and the second is practical training. It is attended by approximately 400 participants each year. Attendees must complete all sessions on both weekends to get a certificate of their attendance.
The training is compulsory for anyone wanting to undertake an Amicus placement in the US, equipping attendees to be of maximum use to an office immediately on arrival. All US placement applicants must have completed training within the three years prior to applying.
Training is also encouraged for UK-based volunteer caseworkers, future US volunteers not affiliated with Amicus and for anyone interested in human rights and/or the use of capital punishment in the US.
The training will take place on 10-12 March and 25-26 March, via Zoom. The training will be split over two weekends, one covering theoretical training and the other being more practical.
This is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in criminal justice and human rights to engage with thought provoking webinars and hear from exonerated defendants, barristers, and public defenders. This will be particularly valuable for Cambridge students due to the general emphasis on opportunities within corporate law, despite many students having expressed interest in criminal justice, human rights and pro bono work.
The Faculty is delighted to be offering ten bursaries to students from Cambridge to attend. For more details and to apply students should use the online form.
Contact amicus.cambridge1@gmail.com with queries.