The Digital Evidence Innocence Initiative (DEII) was launched in 2019  and is based in Connecticut. DEII is an independent organization, founded by a criminal defense investigator, criminal defense attorney, and a certified digital forensic examiner.  Initially, the focus was to apply new technology for post-conviction review in cases where the digital evidence was a deciding factor. The initiative evolved to also provide expert forensic services and training for the defense community,  and to advance a uniformed national standard for preventing wrongful convictions in cases involving digital evidence.

MICHAEL UDVARDY

FOUNDER/DIRECTOR

The Digital Evidence Innocence Initiative was developed in 2018 by Mike Udvardy, a Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator, creator of the Digital Evidence Case Assessment Method (DECAM) and the owner of IRIS LLC, a Connecticut based criminal defense investigation firm.

JAMES OULUNDSEN, EnCE, CCME

CO-FOUNDER/LAB DIRECTOR

Jim is a criminal defense investigator, Encase and Cellebrite Certified digital forensic expert, and Laboratory Manager at eLab Digital Forensics. eLab provides certified digital forensic services exclusively to public defender organizations and Innocence Projects and offer the widest range of digital forensic services achieving parity with state crime lab capabilities.

WILLIAM H. PAETZOLD, ESQ.

FOUNDER/PARTNER

Bill is the founder and partner at Moriarty, Paetzold & Sherwood and was admitted to the Connecticut and Federal Bar in 1990.  He began his career as a Public Defender, and worked as a criminalist at the Connecticut State Crime Lab. Bill specializes in criminal defense cases involving digital evidence.  Bill provides strategic legal consultation to the defense community regarding the effective use of digital evidence in pre-trial cases and post conviction review.

Curriculum Development

The world is a better place thanks to people who want to help others. Thank you to everyone who strives to grow and help others. A special thank you to Chief Investigator Ellen Knight of the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services for assisting in development of this curriculum and the inspiration for this initiative.