Kathleen Kline, an Orcas Island High School graduate, helped with the release of a wrongfully convicted Seattle man who was serving jail time for robbery and burglary.

Kline, who graduated from the University of Washington in 2013, is currently a law clerk at the State Court of Appeals in Seattle. She grew up on Orcas Island and is the daughter of Barbara and Steve Kline.

While at the UW, Kathleen became a volunteer with the Innocence Project Northwest, which frees innocent prisoners using DNA and other new evidence. She and fellow student Nikki Carsley researched Brandon Olebar’s case and amassed evidence that he was not among the people who in February 2003 broke into the home of his sister’s boyfriend and pistol-whipped and beat the man unconscious.

According to the Seattle Times, the victim said as many as eight attackers beat him for more than 10 minutes. He told police the attackers had “feather” facial tattoos. Two days after the beating, the victim identified Olebar from a photo montage. Despite the fact that he did not have a facial tattoo and had an alibi, Olebar was charged with burglary and robbery.

A King County jury convicted him and sentenced Olebar to 16½ years in prison.

Carsley and Kline tracked down and interviewed three of the assailants, who signed sworn statements admitting their involvement and denying that Olebar was present during the attack.

The King County Prosecutor’s office reviewed the new evidence and conducted its own interviews. Last week, it moved to dismiss the charges and vacate the conviction. Olebar had served 10 years at the time of his release.

To read the Seattle Times news story, visit http://goo.gl/LqnHH6. For more information about the Innocence Project Northwest, go to http://www.law.washington.edu/Clinics/IPNW/.