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The Innocence Project Online - July 2010
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 Criminal Justice Commission Moves Forward More Delays in Texas Forensics Investigation Life After Exoneration Why I Give: A Donor Profile  News from the innocence movement around the United States  Freed After Two Decades Two Washington state men were cleared after spending nearly two decades each behind bars for a crime they didn’t commit. DNA evidence obtained by Innocence Project Northwest led to the exonerations of Alan G. Northrop and Larry W. Davis. Read more.  Fighting for Justice in Mexico A new documentary from a pair of attorney/filmmakers follows the case of Antonio Zúñiga, who spent two years in a Mexican prison for a murder evidence shows he didn’t commit. Watch the full film online here.  Taking Aim at Misidentifications Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri signed a bill into law this month creating a new state task force to identify best practices for eyewitness identification procedures. A recent review found that three-quarters of state police departments lacked an official policy for identification procedures. Read more.  Reviewing the Causes of Injustice The Florida Supreme Court officially created a state innocence commission this month. The 23-member panel will examine the causes of wrongful convictions in the state and issue a report next year with recommendations for reforms to prevent injustice. Read more.  Another Setback for Indigent Defense The Michigan Supreme Court reversed an earlier decision and tossed out a lawsuit arguing that the state's patchwork public defense system is unconstitutional. A 4-3 decision from the court found that defendants don’t have a constitutional right to “a meaningful relationship” with their attorneys. Read more.
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You Spoke, They Listened: Criminal Justice Commission Moves Forward The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would launch the first comprehensive review of the criminal justice system in more than four decades. Thousands of Innocence Project supporters called and wrote Congress to support the creation of the expert panel, and your voices helped bring about this significant victory for criminal justice reform. Thanks to everyone who spoke up in support of this critical legislation. There’s still work to be done, however. The Senate now needs to pass this bill for it to become law. Take 30 seconds to send an email to your Senators, urging them to support the creation of the National Criminal Justice Commission. The Commission, first introduced by Virginia Senator Jim Webb, would examine the inequalities and flaws in our criminal justice and recommend reforms to improve public safety, save taxpayers money and prevent injustices such as wrongful convictions. Take action today to support this critical commission. Post to Facebook — Tweet This Article More Delay from Texas Forensics Panel  After more than nine months of needless delay, the Texas state board charged with investigating faulty forensics in the state has slowly resumed its review of the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham (above), who was executed in 2004 based on flawed evidence. Unfortunately, the Commission has pushed much of its work beyond public view. At a meeting Friday in Houston, the panel decided to resume public consideration of its review to a meeting in September. The Innocence Project first asked the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review Willingham's conviction in 2006. The investigation was underway until Texas Gov. Rick Perry replaced the board's chairman with prosecutor John Bradley last fall. Since then, Innocence Project Policy Director Stephen Saloom wrote on the blog this week, Bradley has sought "to block a full and public investigation of forensics" in the case. At the panel's meeting on Friday, Bradley attempted to steer the group toward finding insufficient evidence of forensic negligence in the case, but several commissioners preferred to conduct a full investigation first. Learn more about the Willingham case and the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Post to Facebook — Tweet This Life After Exoneration 
In a new Innocence Project video, exonerees Calvin Johnson and Herman Atkins discuss the struggles exonerees face after they regain their freedom, having served years in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. Reflecting on his release in the video, Johnson, a member of the Innocence Project Board of Directors, says: "You walk out of prison now, 16 years later, and you’re like a baby in a brand new world. You depend on everybody else to give you everything you need just to get started, and that’s hard." Many exonerees face difficulties after they are cleared — they have often been away from their families and communities for a decade or more and there are significant hurdles to successful reentry. Only 27 states have laws compensating the exonerated upon their release, and some of these are extremely restrictive and limited. Most exonerees have not received any form of state services such as job training or health care. Watch the new video and learn how the Innocence Project is working to help exonerated clients build new lives. Post to Facebook — Tweet This Article
Why I Give: Steve Hodel
Once an individual is arrested and logged into the system, a lot can go wrong. An overzealous detective or prosecutor confronted with public pressure will often pursue a weak or borderline case when cooler heads should prevail and the case be continued for further investigation. If a criminal complaint is formally charged, there is rarely any turning back. Professional reputations are on the line, and in the more serious cases of rape, armed robbery and murder — politics get in the way. |
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