Exonerated Men Plead for Justice System Change
After listening to nearly two hours of emotional testimony from exonerated prisoners, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee today approved a bill meant to reform the way law enforcement officials in Texas gather and use eyewitness identification evidence.
A half-dozen men who spent decades behind bars, convicted of crimes they did not commit, pleaded with lawmakers today to improve the reliability of eyewitness identifications used in court. All of them were sent to prison based largely on the testimony of witnesses who incorrectly fingered them in photographs and lineups.
Experts testified today that in Texas, there have been 41 exonerations in ...
Comments (1)
reginald mcdowell
My mouth was agape while reading this story but it doesnt shock me how often innocent idividuals are convicted in Texas Criminal Justice System. The dysfunction in every tier of our courts is rampant and unabated. In Bexar County alone the back log of even misdomeanor case is so horrible that many or coerced into plea bargaining just to be relieved of the contant court appearances that go on in execess of 2 - 3 years. Then you have ineffective public denfenders that are eager to suppliment their personal incomes on state funds only to work in the interest of the court and the local district attorney. This conflict of interest seems to be the norm her in Bexar County.
I acctually have a case pending and I am a resident of another state, not allowed to return to my home in nearly two years, and appointed an attorney who is rude, curses at me like a street thug, and repeatedly tell me how the court could care less that I have dibilitating illnesses and have become so stressed and emaciated since this case enter the court system. If this is the norm for lower level cases I can only imagine how it is played out day after day in more serious cases.
The local newspaper has stated that the serious backlog results in a large number of accquitals or dismissals, personally I disagree with this accessment. They need to look deeper the number cases that are plea barganed by the defendents could be staggering dispite level of presumed innocence. In fact I have had two attorneys on a case dating from August 2009, after more than 11 court appearances and explaining my side of the story. I am asked repeatedly to enter a plea is my best option. Well I am holding steadfast to my personal code of ethics, I have and continue to request a jury trial for the past 9 months and counting.