#exonerations

"Since 1973, more than 185 people on death row have been exonerated, with Black people making up a significant portion...We should all be against #capitalpunishment, the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for a crime."

A new report released by the National Registry of Exonerations explores the circumstances under which people are wrongfully convicted, particularly, Black people. We already know the root of the issue: racism. In the report, experts weighed in to explain what we may not know about the findings.

Black people make up only 13 percent of the nation’s population but 53 percent of 3,200 exonerations. The report isolated three categories in which we are most vulnerable to a wrongful conviction: murder, sexual assault and drug crimes. According to the report, Black people convicted of murder are 80 percent more likely to be innocent, they are eight times more likely to be convicted of rape and 19 times more likely to be convicted of drug crimes.

Samuel R. Gross, senior editor of the report and professor at University of Michigan Law School, offered some insight on what’s changing the tide of sexual assault crimes.

“It was true for a long time that there were a large number of exonerations of Black men who were misidentified in rape cases where the victims were white, cross-racial misidentifications,” said Gross. “In general false [convictions] in rape cases where the defendant was misidentified, uh, are now a small fraction of what they used to be and that’s because of DNA technology.”

If you don’t think that hiring a good lawyer matters, think again. Not having the best advocate arguing for you in criminal matter can cost you your freedom. Worse, it can cost you your career, your family, or your life. Or maybe all of it. Don’t believe me – ask any of the individuals that have been exonerated[i] from prison over the past 20 years about their attorneys.[ii] Many of those…

Make, Present, or Use Any Record, Document, or Thing, Knowing It To Be False.

Section 918.13, Fla. Stat.,[i] was enacted to curtail individuals from altering physical evidence. Essentially, creating and fabricating documents to avoid prosecution. Things like fake purchase orders or invoices…etc. to avoid money laundering charges with “cooked” books. Section (1)(b) reads, “Make, present, or use any record, document, or thing, knowing it to be false.” The obvious purpose…