Video of Wrongful Convictions Panel from October, 2011

http://www.law.miami.edu/media/jw_player/player-viral.swf

Here is a video from the Wrongful Convictions Panel we hosted with the Miami Innocence Project last month!  The panel was moderated by Miami Innocence Project Co-Director Craig Trocino and consisted of five expert speakers:

• Steven Drizen, Director of Northwestern Law’s Center on Wrongful convictions (at 24:20)
• Keith Findley, Co-Director of Wisconsin Law’s Innocence Project and current president of the Innocence Network (at 3:10)
• Robert Schehr, Executive Director of N. Arizona Justice Project (at 43:53)
• Billy Corben, Director and Producer of Cocaine Cowboys (at 77:25)
  
• Sarah Mourer, Director Miami Law’s Innocent Project and Capital Defense Project (at 66:05)

SCOTUS Declines to Hear Appeal for Duane Buck

Earlier this week, SCOTUS declined to hear the appeal of Duane Buck.  Buck was senteced to death in Texas in 1995.  At that trial, an expert witness purported that African-Americans are more likely to recidivate.  And it probably influenced the decision to sentence him to death because on of the criteria that Texas requires the jury to find to make a defendant eligible for the death lenalty id that he is a continuing threat to society.  A new execution date will probably be set for Buck soon. 

Is this not a situation with issues worthy of reconsideration?   Read more here.

Note:  There have been five other cases with race-based testimony from the same expert in Texas that have been reheard.  All the convictions in those cases were affirmed.  See article here.

Hank Skinner – Is Texas about to execute an innocent man?

Just weeks after the tragic execution of Troy Davis, and days after the new findings by the forensics commission implicating the Cameron Todd Willingham execution, Texas is about to execute another man who could be innocent.  Hank Skinner is just six days from execution and is awaiting the testing of DNA evidence which could show that he was wrongfully convicted of murder.

“Post-conviction testing is available for DNA evidence not previously analyzed and for DNA evidence that was tested but that can be re-examined with newer technology.” (see Innocence Project)  But soon it may be too late.

Please consider signing the petition online today.  You can also read more about Hank Skinner’s case here.  Take a few moments to stand up for our justice system and prevent a possible wrongful execution.

Welcome to our new blog!

Thanks for visiting our new blog for the Wrongful Convictions Project at the University of Miami School of Law.  Please feel free to explore the site and let us know what you think!  Information tabs are at the top of the page and links are on the right (including a feed from our twitter).

We will be posting blog entries here from our members are other items of interest to our organization.  Please check back often for new entries and updates!

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