Michigan Public reporter Sarah Cwiek has been selected as a winner of the 2026 Wade H. McCree Advancement of Justice Awards, sponsored by the Michigan Press Association Foundation. Sarah was honored for her two stories: “New report on a wrongful conviction highlights old missteps, in hopes of preventing future mistakes” and “Another Detroit wrongful conviction lawsuit: "I've never seen a fabrication to this extent". Both stories were edited by Brett Dahlberg. This is Sarah’s fourth McCree Award.
Together, these stories inform the public about the workings of the courts, prosecutors, police, and post-conviction review, while demonstrating how accountability and reform can emerge from public-interest journalism. These stories examine the case of Detroit exoneree Duane Williams and the systemic failures that led to his wrongful conviction and imprisonment for more than 11 years. They illuminate how wrongful convictions happen, how they are corrected, and what reforms are needed to prevent future injustices.
Her previous awards were for these stories: “Tax foreclosure lawsuit asks how much can government take from property owners” (2021), “They say their son needs to be in a psychiatric hospital; he went to jail instead” (2020) and : “A wrongful conviction, and a Detroit serial rapist who stayed free: Here's how it happened” (2025).
The awards were presented at the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame induction dinner on April 16, 2026, at the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.
The McCree Awards recognize Michigan journalists who foster greater public understanding of our legal system, with reporting that can change and improve the legal and law enforcement systems. The winners were determined by a panel of four judges representing law and media, who independently reviewed 13 entries from across Michigan.
The McCree awards are named for Judge Wade H. McCree, one of the most distinguished lawyers and jurists in Michigan history and a staunch advocate for equal rights and open, accountable government.
