Man imprisoned for 27 years.....freed by DNA test

[Porteño]

DALLAS (Reuters) - A man walked out of a Dallas court on Tuesday after DNA testing overturned his conviction over 27 years ago for the murder and rape of his girlfriend, local media reported.

James Woodward, 55, spent more time in prison than any other wrongfully convicted inmate in U.S. history who was subsequently freed by DNA testing, local media reported.

He was also the eighteenth person freed in Dallas County based on a post-conviction DNA analysis, according to the Innocence Project, a New York-based legal center that specializes in righting grave miscarriages of justice.

That is more than any other U.S. county, highlighting problems in the local justice system that include what critics have said is a history of racism and racial profiling.

Woodward is a black male -- the typical profile of those wrongfully sent to prison in Dallas and elsewhere in the United States.

"We've reached a tipping point on wrongful convictions in Texas. Nobody can seriously doubt that there's a problem," the Innocence project quoted Texas State Sen. Rodney Ellis as saying on Tuesday.

Ellis said on Tuesday a summit would be held in the state capitol of Austin on May 8 to determine the causes of wrongful convictions in Texas and identify reforms that can prevent them.

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard, editing by Todd Eastham)

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2938136220080430
He should have been fried :mad: /lewkmode

[Glinty Steel]

Ellis said on Tuesday a summit would be held in the state capitol of Austin on May 8 to determine the causes of wrongful convictions in Texas and identify reforms that can prevent them.


Why else would a black man be wrongfully convicted and sentenced to prison for more than 20 years? It's those typical White Devils keeping the black man down, of course!

[pedxing]

ya know, if we just killed everybody as soon as they were convicted, it sure would save some of money, and we wouldn't have to deal with uncomfortable issues like this!

:rolleyes:

[']['ear]

I must say that I am appalled by the number of convictions that get overturned on DNA evidence. Makes one wonder about the accuracy of the legal system.

[Kerberos2002]

Man! he can get millions suing the state because of this mistake :eek:

[']['ear]

Man! he can get millions suing the state because of this mistake :eek:

Actually, no. He would need to prove that the state was negligent. All he's shown thus far is that modern technology trumps the old technology. That doesn't prove that the state was negligent.

AFAIK, none of the DNA exonerated prisoners has won any lawsuits. Proving a wrongful conviction is tough.

[Clocks]

['ear;10329010"]I must say that I am appalled by the number of convictions that get overturned on DNA evidence. Makes one wonder about the accuracy of the legal system.
Then the increased accuracy should be encouraging for all convictions in the last roughly 15 years that it has been widely used.

[']['ear]

Yes and no. Most cases involving DNA exoneration involve rape. But rape convictions are relatively rare compared to other felonies. That suggests that the false conviction rate in other crimes may be equally high. Either that or the burden of proof in rape trials is lower. Either one is disturbing.

[Kerberos2002]

['ear;10329015"]Actually, no. He would need to prove that the state was negligent. All he's shown thus far is that modern technology trumps the old technology. That doesn't prove that the state was negligent.

AFAIK, none of the DNA exonerated prisoners has won any lawsuits. Proving a wrongful conviction is tough.

So, why state has released the man ? This is not a recognition that the conviction was based on wrong evidences ?

[Clocks]

So, why state has released the man ? This is not a recognition that the conviction was based on wrong evidences ?
Because a person can be fairly convicted...wrongly. Which is different from being convicted by a state which is negligent or worse.

[']['ear]

Exactly.

For wrongful conviction you need to prove that the state basically abused the system to get you convicted, as opposed to not having all the evidence in hand.

Wrongful conviction wins almost never happen. They usually involve some serious fraud on the part of the District Attorney's office, IIRC.

[Kerberos2002]

['ear;10329103"]Exactly.

For wrongful conviction you need to prove that the state basically abused the system to get you convicted, as opposed to not having all the evidence in hand.

Wrongful conviction wins almost never happen. They usually involve some serious fraud on the part of the District Attorney's office, IIRC.

So you mean, the guy gets its life ****ed for 27 years and the maximum he will receive is a "Sorry folk, we screwed up with your life, but **** happens heh" ?

[Dbfan]

There seems to be a lot of people being freed. I wouldn't have let him go would I have say. The price of a human is your own life.Did you just say you wouldn't let a man free, if it was just proved he wasn't guilty?

[']['ear]

So you mean, the guy gets its life ****ed for 27 years and the maximum he will receive is a "Sorry folk, we screwed up with your life, but **** happens heh" ?

Yes. It's why that "beyond a reasonable doubt" bit is REALLY important.

[Kerberos2002]

Pretty much. Ain't our government great?

That sucks :mad: :down:, a lot. Poor man :(

[Hazir]

There seems to be a lot of people being freed. I wouldn't have let him go would I have say. The price of a human is your own life.Ok genius, and what's the price for being innocent in your universe ?

[SuthernBell]

he can get millions suing the state because of this mistake

Actually, no.

But will he get anything? I mean , he was locked away for many of his working years. I wouldn't think any amount of money would replace all those years but shouldnt he get something?

[termite]

But will he get anything? I mean , he was locked away for many of his working years. I wouldn't think any amount of money would replace all those years but shouldnt he get something?

Well he could try selling his story to the media/hollywood but since this sort of things happened before it may not be all that valuable.

[Crimson Quasar]

wow....27 years in prison. I haven't even reached 20 yet. And to think A man could spend more time in jail...than growing up...its a scary thing. But I guess you can appreciate life more, once you get out. Ya know...do somethign better with your life


~CQ

[Nessus]

wow....27 years in prison. I haven't even reached 20 yet. And to think A man could spend more time in jail...than growing up...its a scary thing. But I guess you can appreciate life more, once you get out. Ya know...do somethign better with your life


~CQ
Dumbest post of the week!

[obeida]

Sorry, I thought he was proven to kill someone. I don't know what I was reading. Anyways, they definitely need to give him some money. Doing nothing wrong and being stuck in prison for all these years?

[Kerberos2002]

wow....27 years in prison. I haven't even reached 20 yet. And to think A man could spend more time in jail...than growing up...its a scary thing. But I guess you can appreciate life more, once you get out. Ya know...do somethign better with your life


~CQ

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1961/winehousesnortsheaderoa2.jpg



Dumbest post of the week!

:o :up: :up:
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