Courts Found DA Error in Nearly 25% of Reversed Cases

Between 1989 and 2011, at least 86 Texas defendants including Loveless and Miller had their convictions overturned, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. In an extensive analysis of court rulings, news reports and pardon statements, The Texas Tribune found that in nearly one-quarter of those cases — 21 in total — courts ruled that prosecutors made mistakes that in most instances contributed to the wrong outcome. The wrongfully convicted in those cases spent a combined total of more than 270 years in prison. (See an interactive presentation with details about all the cases.)

www.texastribune.org...

This just sickens me. Almost 1 case a year where the prosecution made mistakes that resulted in innocent people serving prison time. 270 years!!! I am speechless at this point. People's lives ruined and their images drug through the mud because the prosecutors did not do their jobs properly. This is one area that mistakes can not happen. If they are going to send people to prison, they better make d@mn sure they are right. Although, prison is big business here in the states so I am not surprised.

reply to post by Catalyst317


Most people don't like to look at this particular aspect of our justice system. The key here with misconduct on the part of the prosecution is that there is little consequence for them, and they are highly motivated to win these cases to further their "careers".

In my opinion, criminal defense attorneys are a morally superior bunch compared to the other side these days.

Also, it is only part of the story. The entire system is riddled with pitfalls that will lead to, or support wrongful convictions, and this begins with the interrogation process, and it continues to roll downhill from there.

It's very sad, and very scary, and even scarier... Most people will stick their head in the sand about this, or even worse, if there is some public case they are emotionally invested in will get positively irate when the possibility of wrongful conviction is pointed out.

I may very well be the only one to respond to this OP, but thank you for the thread and the article.

I agree. I wonder how many innocent people are in the system and the courts refuse to hear their cases. It reminds me of Shawshank Redemption when they say, "everyone in prison is innocent, didn't you know?". If 21 cases just in Texas are overturned, I wonder how many nation wide. 50 x 21 = 1050. Almost 50 a year. You would think there would be repercussions for police and prosecutors that bungle the cases.

We desperately need checks and balances THAT WORK here in the states...

[color=gold]Law Abiding Citizen link (and the movie says it all.)

reply to post by DrMattMaddix


That looks like a good one. I'm going to watch it as soon as I am don watching Get the Gringo. lol

Here is a great movie about a family man who defends his family and get sentenced to prison for doing so.

Felon

our entire society is broken so it's no surprise we see this in an also broken judicial system. it's yet another symptom of the real disease, lack of love for one another.

I barely escaped the clutches of my local prosecutor, but he still managed a few jabs.
His job is not justice, his job is cultivating money for the county.

If that means drug treatment for a shoplifting charge, so be it.

If that means several years of probation for driving with an expired tag, then, so be it.

Those who don't come in contact with these people are much better off than those that do.

There is never a reason to offer up conversation or engage in any form of contact with these people, they cannot help you, only testify against you.
Hense the name, Prosecutor.
Don't bargain....
Force American courts to play by the rules
Excersise your right to a fair and speedy trial, at all cost.
Peace!

You're right, prosecutors shouldn't make mistakes. Nor should doctors or nurses, or . . . It is not good and I am not defending it.

Now, how many cases are tried in the state of Texas in a year?

The Texas Tribune found that in nearly one-quarter of those cases — 21 in total — (Almost one a year) courts ruled that prosecutors made mistakes that in most instances contributed to the wrong outcome. The wrongfully convicted in those cases spent a combined total of more than 270 years in prison. (Emphasis and parenthetical material added)

So the article tells us that somewhere between 11 and 20 cases occurred over a twenty-two year period in which a prosecutor's mistake "contributed to," not "caused," the conviction.

Sure, one mistake a century is wrong, and so is this, but isn't it within the range of human error? No one is going to be perfect. I can't get outraged about this.

reply to post by charles1952


Indeed no one is perfect, however, when you are responsible for sending people to prison, you better be.