The Innocence Project reviews criminal cases in which DNA evidence may be used to overturn convictions. When a case is accepted, staff lawyers assist in the case or actually represent clients in court. Even if you don't recognize the name The Innocence Project, you have probably heard of the shocking cases they have assisted in during the last several years; well-known stories of death-row occupants who were nearing execution dates when they were exonerated, or those who had sat behind bars for decades before being proved innocent. While the use of DNA is the best-known focus of the Project, they are also exploring other failures of the justice system that have led to wrongful convictions. One focus now is a critical examination of eyewitness testimony. The fallibility of this type of evidence has long been known, but The Innocence Project has been at the forefront of quantifying exactly what aspects of the procedure can be tweaked to make it more effective and reliable.
One procedure the Project promotes as a best practice is the double-blind method of conducting photo-lineups, in which law enforcement officials presenting the pictures to potential witnesses do not know which of the pictures is of the suspect, so as not to purposely or inadvertently provide hints about which photo is of the suspect.
This work is exciting to me because it is solution-oriented. It is such a concrete, practical thing police departments can do to improve the objectivity and fairness of their investigations.
The Innocence Project:
This work is exciting to me because it is solution-oriented. It is such a concrete, practical thing police departments can do to improve the objectivity and fairness of their investigations.
The Innocence Project:
- founded in 1992
- over 200 exonerations
- read about individual cases on their website: www.innocenceproject.org
- see their FAQ's for fascinating stats, and info on how to submit a case for review
Who is the pillow on this gurney for? The convict about to be executed? Is it to allow the chamber attendants a feeling that they are comforting the convict before inserting the needle? It's bizarre, and simply plays up how bizarre this practice is. It shows we are in conflict as a country about capitol punishment.
Did you know that some states allow a condemned person to take an anxiety pill about an hour before their execution? Who is that anxiety pill for?
Did you know that some states allow a condemned person to take an anxiety pill about an hour before their execution? Who is that anxiety pill for?
