25 July 2007

Same Old News On Wrongful Convictions

I examine . . . how the criminal system in the United States handled the cases of people who were subsequently found innocent through post-conviction DNA testing. . . . The leading types of evidence supporting their wrongful convictions were erroneous eyewitness identifications, faulty forensic evidence, informant testimony, and false confessions. . . . . few innocent appellants brought claims regarding those facts, nor did many bring claims alleging their innocence. For those who did, hardly any claims were granted by appellate courts. . . . courts often denied relief by finding error to be harmless on account of the appellant's guilt. Criminal appeals brought before they proved their innocence using DNA yielded apparently high numbers of reversals—a fourteen percent reversal rate. However, . . . the reversal rate is indistinguishable from the background rate in appeals of comparable rape and murder convictions[.]


Via CrimProf Blog.

2 comments:

Pamela Clifton and Christie Donner said...

Do you know about the CLE on Friday at DU?
Sentencing Solutions: Colorado and Beyond

*CLE event: An Open Discussion on Colorado's New Sentencing Commission*

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Rep. Roger Goodman, Washington State Representative and former Director of the

WA State Sentencing Commission.

Other speakers to include: Rep. Terrance Carroll, Christie Donner, Rep. Robert Witwer, Senior Judge Ken Plotz,

District Attorney Don Quick, Jeanne Smith (Criminal Justice Division), Phil Cherner, and more.

Event Information

A CLE on Sentencing Solutions: Colorado and Beyond

University of Denver Law School, room 190
2255 East Evans Avenue • Denver, Colorado 80208
Friday, July 27th

9am-12:30pm (reception to follow)

(Presented by the CBA Criminal Sentencing Project. This event will provide approximately 3.5 CLE credits. For further information call 720 280 4067.)

Andrew Oh-Willeke said...

I did, but appreciate the heads up.