UPDATE: Make that 209! Another one in Dallas today, Eugene Ivory Henton, per Grits for Breakfast.
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That’s the number, according to Barry Scheck, of people exonerated based upon DNA. The latest is Willie “Pete” Williams, according to CNN. After nearly 22 years in prison, Williams walked free.
The story sounds remarkably like every other one. Three eyewitnesses testified that Williams was a rapist. Three eyewitnesses were wrong. Oops.
But in jail, Williams was hardly the model prisoner. He was angry and bitter. He fought with guards and other inmates. By the logic of wrongful conviction, his post-conviction conduct should have mandated additional punishment, or at the very least justified the portion of the 45 year sentence he served. After all, what right does an innocent man have to be angry and bitter about being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit? It may not be perfect, but it’s the best system on the face of the earth, right? Just keep repeating that.
Notably, this George release comes on the heals of Barry’s testimony before a Georgia legislative study group to require scientifically verified protocols in identification procedures, as I posted about here only 2 days ago. Maggie, the Georgia maven, commented that police opposed the adoption of valid protocols because eyewitness IDs are never wrong, and required protocols would interfere with police investigations. Of course, the cops wouldn’t want to be hampered by not arresting innocent people.
Hopefully, some good will come from Williams’ exoneration, and the Georgia legislature will learn just how reliable eyewitness IDs, and police opinions, really are.
********
That’s the number, according to Barry Scheck, of people exonerated based upon DNA. The latest is Willie “Pete” Williams, according to CNN. After nearly 22 years in prison, Williams walked free.
The story sounds remarkably like every other one. Three eyewitnesses testified that Williams was a rapist. Three eyewitnesses were wrong. Oops.
But in jail, Williams was hardly the model prisoner. He was angry and bitter. He fought with guards and other inmates. By the logic of wrongful conviction, his post-conviction conduct should have mandated additional punishment, or at the very least justified the portion of the 45 year sentence he served. After all, what right does an innocent man have to be angry and bitter about being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit? It may not be perfect, but it’s the best system on the face of the earth, right? Just keep repeating that.
Notably, this George release comes on the heals of Barry’s testimony before a Georgia legislative study group to require scientifically verified protocols in identification procedures, as I posted about here only 2 days ago. Maggie, the Georgia maven, commented that police opposed the adoption of valid protocols because eyewitness IDs are never wrong, and required protocols would interfere with police investigations. Of course, the cops wouldn’t want to be hampered by not arresting innocent people.
Hopefully, some good will come from Williams’ exoneration, and the Georgia legislature will learn just how reliable eyewitness IDs, and police opinions, really are.