It is International Wrongful Conviction Day. A day brought about by people all over the world who are concerned about the many wrongful convictions that occur -- especially in the USA. #IWCD2014 Until a member of my family was wrongly convicted, I had no idea there was any real possibility of an innocent person going to prison. I didnt want to know about the Innocence Project when it was announced. I was in favor of the death penalty. All that has changed. Seven years of fighting, praying, researching, networking with exonerees and their loved ones, families and friends of the innocents in prison, and the courageous attorneys, former prosecutors, and legislators who see the scope of the problem and work so hard to correct it has brought a monumental new awareness. My heroes in this movement include Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr, John Raley, Jeffrey Deskovic, Michael Morton, Anthony Graves Foundation, Doug Tjapkes, all the members of the National Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform, and my nephew-in-law, Larry Overton. There have been 1,300 exonerations since 1989, 87 in 2013 alone. Thats just the tip of the iceberg, because of the enormous energy and legal skill needed to get a conviction overturned and the tiny amount of resources available. Heres what everyone should know: Wrongful conviction can happen to ANYONE. Your innocence will not protect you. Never speak to the police regarding anything that could possibly be construed as a crime without an attorney. Hold your elected officials accountable. Ask what they are doing to resolve wrongful convictions and prevent new ones. Support the organizations that are fighting to resolve wrongful convictions and prevent new ones.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 22:27:32 +0000
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