The film was recently screened at Illinois State's Capen Auditorium and to audiences in St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, before Helmig's appeal hearing on September 20. Dr. John P. McHale, Assistant Professor of Communication, produced the film. The film shows that Helmig's trial featured a shoddy defense, selective presentation of evidence, and an opportunistic prosecutor. "We are not sure, nor is there a way to know if The Innocence Project had an impact, but this is great validation for what we are doing," said McHale. "Democracy doesn't work unless you get involved. The Project helps students realize that in a democracy, their voices do matter and through efforts like this students can make their voices heard."
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Dr. John P. McHale, Assistant Professor of Communication and Executive Producer of A Matter of Innocence
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McHale previously produced and directed a documentary about the wrongful conviction of Joe Amrine, Unreasonable Doubt, in 2002, which was a catalytic factor in the Missouri Supreme Court's decision to exonerate Amrine. McHale also produced and directed a follow-up documentary on the Amrine case, narrated by Danny Glover, Picture This: A Fight to Save Joe, which has been screened around the world.