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Wrongfully Imprisoned 29 Years, Stanley Wrice Wins Second Chance
After maintaining his innocence for 29 years, an Illinois man has earned the right to a hearing on his actual innocence claim. Stanley Wrice was convicted in 1982 after falsely confessing to Chicago Police for a brutal sexual assault. Wrice’s case is set to be heard before the Illinois Supreme Court. Read more about the
Scientific Advances Cloud Past Arson Cases
A recent Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article published states that advances in arson investigation could now make past evidence outdated, and because of this, several convictions in Pennsylvania are now being challenged. Currently, questionable arson convictions are also under review in other states including Texas, Massachusetts, and here in Arizona. From the article:
Justice: Prosecute Prosecutors?
In Virginia, Bennett Barbour served countless years on a sentence for a rape conviction that was based on eyewitness testimony, the least reliable of all the forms of evidence used in courts today. The police learned that, through testing of DNA material, Mr. Barbour was excluded as being the perpetrator in this
Man Wins Supreme Court Appeal For New Trial
In a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, a Louisiana man has won the right to a new trial after a major Brady Rule violation in his case has come to light. Juan Smith was convicted with for an armed robbery in which only one piece of evidence was used to
Death Sentence in Delaware Overturned
A man is once again free after serving 20 years on Delaware’s Death Row. Jermaine Wright’s sentence was overturned after his attorneys proved that, even with a videotaped confession, the evidence against him was not sufficient enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Wright was indeed guilty. According to an article in
Perry v. New Hampshire and Eyewitness Testimony
In a case that was recently argued before the Supreme Court, questions have arisen regarding the reliability of eyewitness testimony. In Perry v. New Hampshire, the State Supreme Court ruled that a trial judge “cannot exclude witness identification based on suggestive circumstances, unless there was improper police manipulation of the
Videos
Articles
New Film Recalls ’70 Pioneer Hotel Fire
Every December for the past 40 years, Albert Pesqueira thinks about the devastating fire at the Pioneer Hotel. He remembers what he saw and felt that night as a rookie firefighter. But this December he will bring his memories to life. Pesqueira is the creator of “Hot Pion: The Pioneer
Son Confronts Brewer over Clemency Decision
PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer abruptly ended her own press conference Wednesday morning after facing questions about her controversial decision to deny clemency to a long-time inmate whose guilt has been doubted. Brewer gave one answer before she turned to her staff, who then cut off any further questions and
Texan Imprisoned for Child Sex Assault Exonerated
DALLAS – A judge on Monday overturned the 1993 conviction of a deaf man who was sent to prison for raping a 5-year-old girl despite an absence of physical evidence linking him to the attack. Stephen Brodie, 39, dropped his head in relief after an interpreter signed to him that
Dead Wrong
HATTIESBURG — Larry Ruffin spent 23 years behind bars for a rape and murder that DNA shows he did not commit, but he will never walk free from prison. He died in 2002. “Every time I think about it, tears come to my eyes,” said Ernestine Arrington, Ruffin’s sister. The
Arizona Justice Project Lawyer Honored
Arizona Justice Project lawyer honored Phoenix lawyer Larry Hammond, an advocate for death-penalty fairness, will receive the Morris Dees Justice Award in New York City on Nov. 18. Among other things, Hammond has worked to correct systemic problems in death-penalty cases and for representing death-penalty defendants. Hammond started the Arizona
News About the Bill Macumber Case
Arizona Governor Refuses To Explain Clemency Ruling Despite a recommendation for release by the Arizona Executive Board of Clemency, Gov. Jan Brewer refuses to explain why she will not release convicted killer Bill Macumber from prison.In its report to the governor last August, the state’s clemency board said there is