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Cary Aspinwall

Staff Writer

She/her

I write investigative stories that examine flaws and issues in the criminal justice system. Many of my stories focus on the impact of incarceration on women and their children.

My Background

At The Marshall Project, I’ve led a reporting team that documented prosecutions of pregnant people, examined why so many people are serving life without parole sentences and worked on short documentaries with “Frontline” and our “Inside Story” team. I am honored to have won a Gerald Loeb Award, and have been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting and the National Magazine Awards for public interest.

I live in Oklahoma, but my reporting takes me all over the U.S.

Contact Me About...

I want to hear about injustices that affect vulnerable populations, including women, children and people living with mental illness, or about powerful people and groups exploiting the criminal justice system for financial gain — or to hide wrongdoing.

phone (212) 803-5246
email caspinwall@themarshallproject.org
signal caryaspinwall.27
linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-aspinwall-8348825/
An illustration shows a police officer in a blue uniform standing inside a dimly lit kitchen holding a walkie-talkie while looking outside the window. Outside the window, a woman is kneeling, with pale yellow light on her as she looks at a small grave.
News April 2
These States Have Investigated Miscarriages and Stillbirths as Crimes
A recent arrest in Georgia highlights the criminal suspicion that surrounds pregnancy loss in several states, experts say.
By
Two men wearing black uniforms clasp their hands behind their backs as they walk through a fenced pathway.
Closing Argument February 1
How the U.S. Turned Away From the Death Penalty and Toward ‘Death by Incarceration’
The number of people imprisoned for life continues to climb, even as the overall prison population declines.
By
An illustration shows a police officer standing inside of a dark, blue and green kitchen holding a walkie-talkie while looking outside the window. Outside the window, a woman is kneeling, with bright yellow light on her as she looks at a small grave.
Feature October 31, 2024
Some States Are Turning Miscarriages and Stillbirths Into Criminal Cases Against Women
How a person handles a pregnancy loss — and where it occurs — can be the difference between a private medical issue and facing criminal charges.
By
Feature July 30, 2024
This Company Promised to Improve Health Care in Jails. Dozens of Its Patients Have Died.
Turn Key Health Clinics has quickly expanded to jails in 10 states. Some of its policies and practices have endangered patients.
By , Brianna Bailey and Sachi Mcclendon
Demonstrators, dressed in black clothing, hold large posters of women and signs that read "OK Survivor Justice Coalition" while standing outside the Oklahoma State Capitol.
Closing Argument April 27, 2024
They Killed Their Abusive Partners. Now Their Sentences Could Be Reconsidered.
Oklahoma could re-examine how it punishes people whose crimes came after years of domestic abuse. Other states may follow.
By and
A medical resident, who is sitting on a stool in front of a desk, gives a woman medication to terminate her pregnancy.
Closing Argument December 9, 2023
What the End of Roe Looks Like in Real Time
The ripple effects of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision wind their way through state and local governments.
By
A White woman, wearing a red and pink patterned shirt, speaks into several news microphones inside a conference room. A male lawyer, in a red tie and blue pinstriped suit, sits next to her with his hands clasped on the table.
Closing Argument October 7, 2023
A Death in Dallas, and a Family’s Long Fight for Justice
Tony Timpa called police for help and died pinned to the ground. Seven years later, his family is still trying to hold officers accountable.
By
Left: Mark Jones, serving life without parole in a Florida prison. Right: Incarcerated women at Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama.
Feature September 5, 2023
The Marshall Project and FRONTLINE Present ‘Two Strikes’ and ‘Tutwiler’
A special broadcast of two short documentaries gives a rare insight into life behind bars.
Two Strikes by Ursula Liang, Tessa Travis and
Tutwiler by Elaine McMillion Sheldon and
A White woman with light blonde hair looks at a photo she is holding in her hands of her daughter in a blue graduation gown.
Feature July 25, 2023
These States Are Using Fetal Personhood to Put Women Behind Bars
Hundreds of women who used drugs while pregnant have faced criminal charges — even when they deliver healthy babies.
By
An illustration of a man balancing on a tightrope, high above a building surrounded with barbed wire.
Feature October 25, 2022
Fetterman and Oz Battle Over Pennsylvania’s Felony Murder Law
Does opposing mandatory life without parole make a U.S. Senate candidate “pro-murderer”?
By and
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