LeDura Watkins: Michigan; (Flawed hair sample evidence); NPR tells the story of his release following over 41 years in prison - partially because of hair sample evidence which has proven to be unreliable..."Mitchell-Cichon says several techniques used as evidence over the years are no longer viewed as scientific. She says the hair evidence used against Watkins, like bite comparisons, no longer have scientific support among law enforcement officials." Link to the NPR broadcast provided. WMUK;

STORY: The Innocence Project And One Man's Long Path To Freedom," by Gordon Evans, published by WMUK (NPR) on July 3, 2017. (Thanks to The Wrongful Convictions Blog for bringing this story to our attention. HL);

GIST: "A Detroit man spent over 41 years in prison. In June, he became a free man and his conviction was vacated thanks in large part to the work of the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Innocence Project. LeDura Watkins was convicted of first degree murder in 1976." The director of the Innocence Project Marla Mitchell-Cichon says there were three key pieces of evidence against Watkins - hair samples, which has since been shown to be unreliable, an unindicted co-defendant, who recanted within five years of the conviction and a police file never turned over to the defense that contained favorable information about Watkins. Mitchell-Cichon joined WMUK’s Gordon Evans to discuss the Watkins case and the work of trying to free people who have been wrongfully convicted. Mitchell-Cichon says several techniques used as evidence over the years are no longer viewed as scientific. She says the hair evidence used against Watkins, like bite comparisons, no longer have scientific support among law enforcement officials. "The Courts have to be more receptive, particularly when someone's claiming innocence to looking at the case again, which is not how the criminal justice system is set up." The WMU Cooley Law School Innocence Project focuses on DNA evidence. Mitchell-Cichon says that over the years that evidence has shown that people are wrongfully convicted at a rate that’s “higher than we would have expected.” Mitchell-Cichon says the Innocence Project has screened over 5500 cases since 2001."

The entire story can be found at:

http://wmuk.org/post/wsw-innocence-project-and-one-mans-long-path-freedom

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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 found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;