Virginia is to be applauded for a program to perform DNA testing on forensic samples found. It's to be booed for the slow and ineffective way it's reaching out (or not reaching out) to the people exonerated of crimes they were convicted for.
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Bennett Barbour exonerated of rape in Virginia: how the state is botching the DNA retesting and notification of old cases
Bennett Barbour was convicted in 1978 of a rape he didn’t commit. At trial, he had an alibi supported by several witnesses. He didn’t match the victim’s description of her attacker. Barbour suffers fr…
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It's absolutely unacceptable that locating and contacting the wrongly convicted is being treated so lightly. Efforts equal to the amount channeled during the investigation should be used to locate them. Anything short of that is tantamount to ignoring a victim, as they are victims too.
I also believe that Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project should be applauded. His work has been instrumental in freeing many wrongly convicted people. Unfortunately many identify him solely with the O.J. Simpson trial and don't appreciate the huge amount of work he has done aside from that trial.
I agree fully, +Rich Hayes — unfortunately, they are still seen more as criminals, and nobody's ever been accused of being "soft on crime" by not being diligent about catching up with exonerated not-really-crooks.
Sad but true +Dave Hill. I think it's important that people keep in mind that this could happen to each and every one of us, and the reasons are myriad. Faulty eyewitness testimony, contaminated samples, eager to be re-elected D.A.'s, corrupt officers, jury prejudice (not just racial), ………..and on and on. Any one of us could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's system of human beings and open to all our faults and mistakes (intentional and unintentional). This makes it crucial that when mistakes are made, we do everything possible to set it right as quickly as possible. Failure to diminishes trust in the system. Without a level of trust convictions appear arbitrary.
Our system of government and justice is founded on trust. People in the system who don't work to support that trust are themselves enemies of the system.
And, yes, "it could happen to me" is the core for any civil rights and judicial rights argument. And, unfortunately, one that people don't internalize. "It'll only happen to Those People, the ones who are probably guilty anyway …"
Recent death-row cases, where testimony was forced or recented, or where the true perp is known, and then the judicial system or the Governor refuse to consider those factors, new evidence, or allow DNA testing or a retrial to happen, that makes me ill. Those persons have those men’s (seldom a woman, and most of these cases concern men of color/poverty) blood on their hands, and seem immune to prosecution for the willful blindness to the facts of the case.
I think most of the cases the Innocence Project have taken on are indeed for wrongly-convicted people.
@Marina – Our justice system in general — and how it is used by some folks in particular — is less interested in justice than in a process that should, given neutral parties, maximize the chances of confirming guilt if possible. Unfortunately it is focused on the process, the rules, the procedures and steps, and thus is uninterested in mercy, righteousness, or, yes, justice. And some folks are more than happy to let it operate that way, and so rack up their score of convictions.