Tiffin University’s undergraduate chapter of the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP-u) will host two screenings of “Spiz” on Tuesday, September 22 at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The documentary explores the life and artwork of Dean Gillispie, who spent 20 years imprisoned for crimes he did not commit. Gillispie, Director Barry Rowan and Pierce Reed of the Ohio Innocence Project will lead a discussion following the film. Both screenings will take place at The Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin. The event is free and open to the public.
Gillispie was wrongfully charged and convicted with three counts of rape ithe Dayton, Ohio area in the 1990s and ultimately spent two decades imprisoned. Following his 2011 release, he spent an additional 10 years working to clear his name. In December of 2021, Gillispie was officially declared a wrongfully imprisoned man by the state of Ohio and offered reparations. Since his release, Gillispie has gained national recognition for his artwork. His pieces have been featured in prominent places such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, New York. A collection of his was also featured in TU’s Diane Kidd Art Gallery in 2017.
Barry Rowen is a writer, director and editor based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has worked on projects for artists such as Halsey, Katy Perry, Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts. In 2018, he premiered a short documentary about the Ohio Innocence Project at the Over-the-Rhine Film Festival.
“TU has a special connection with Dean,” says Dr. Steven Hurwitz, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Criminal Justice and Faculty Advisor for OIP-u: TU.
“He first spoke on campus in the spring 2014 semester and has returned several times since. We previously screened ‘Spiz’ on campus in February 2023. We wanted to show it again, but this time at the Ritz Theater. We are thrilled to showcase Dean’s story and the problem of wrongful convictions in this historic venue.”
The Ohio Innocence Project is the state’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to freeing the wrongfully imprisoned, and to the reformation of a justice system that would allow wrongful convictions to occur. Tiffin University is proud to house an undergraduate student chapter of an organization doing such impactful work. For more information, visit facebook.com/OhioInnocenceProject.