FLORIDA INNOCENCE COMMISSION; HEARINGS BEGIN TODAY; MEN CLEARED BY POST-CONVICTION DNA-TESTING TO TESTIFY;

"So far, post-conviction DNA testing has proved a dozen people – all of them men – were innocent after they spent years in Florida prisons.

One is James Bain, 54, of Polk County. He was freed in December after serving 35 years for a rape in 1974 that he did not commit.

He's expected to testify today before the 23-member commission.

So is Alan Crotzer, cleared four years ago after serving 24 years for a kidnapping, robbery and rape in Tampa that he did not commit."

REPORTER RENE STUTZMAN: ORLANDO SENTINEL;

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BACKGROUND: Chief Justice Charles Canady of Florida's Supreme Court created the Florida Innocence Commission early in July, 2010. The 23-member panel comprised of attorneys, legislators, judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials is mandated to present a report on criminal justice policy reform and preventing future injustices by June 2011 with final recommendations being presented the following year. Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos appropriated $200,000 to cover the commission’s expenses and the Florida Bar Foundation approved a $114,862 grant for the commission’s work. There have been 12 DNA exonerations from across Florida to date.

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"TALLAHASSEE – Two men who each spent more than 20 years in Florida prisons before DNA proved they were innocent are expected to tell their stories today to a special blue-ribbon panel," the Orlando Sentinel story by reporter Rene Sutzman published earlier today begins, under the heading, "Two men freed from prison by DNA to tell blue-ribbon panel their stories today."

"Florida's Innocence Commission, created by the Florida Supreme Court, holds its first meeting at the Supreme Court building in Tallahassee," the story continues.

"It's to begin mid-morning.

So far, post-conviction DNA testing has proved a dozen people – all of them men – were innocent after they spent years in Florida prisons.

One is James Bain, 54, of Polk County. He was freed in December after serving 35 years for a rape in 1974 that he did not commit.

He's expected to testify today before the 23-member commission.

So is Alan Crotzer, cleared four years ago after serving 24 years for a kidnapping, robbery and rape in Tampa that he did not commit.

The panel is chaired by the chief judge of Orange and Osceola counties, Belvin Perry Jr. Also on it are the chief judge in Brevard-Seminole, Preston Silvernail; Florida state Sen. Gary Siplin, D- Orlando; FDLE chief Gerald Bailey and State Attorney Brad King, who serves Lake and four other counties.

The high court has ordered the commission to study what went wrong in the 12 cases in which people have been exonerated by DNA and to recommend changes to prevent the same mistakes from happening again."

The story can be found at:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-innocent-men-speak-20100910,0,2794036.story

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=8369513443994476774

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;