RELEASE: "Innocence Project calls for policy reforms in wake of landmark report on 25 wrongful convictions in Brooklyn," by Nina Morrison, released by The Innocence Project on July 9, 2020.
SUB-HEADING: "The report addresses the grievous errors and misconduct by both police and prosecutors that tainted those cases."
The entire report that is subject of this release - a tough, gritty, honest document (HL) - can be read (and should be read) at the link below:
https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/KCDA_CRUReport_v4r3-FINAL.pdf
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CONCLUSION: "Understanding in some detail the systemic flaws that led to 25 wrongful convictions in Brooklyn, New York cannot cure the incalculable personal losses associated with them, but it may help to prevent future miscarriages of justice. As this Report explains, many factors at various stages of the criminal justice system may contribute to wrongful convictions: from interactions with police, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges, to unreliable science and human deceit or fallibility. The root causes identified by the CRU—induced false or unreliable confessions, eyewitness misidentifications, withholding favorable evidence, and incompetent defenses, among others—are all preventable. The common errors the CRU identified could have been avoided by the more faithful exercise of law enforcement functions, greater skepticism in investigations, discretion in prosecution, and diligence in defense. Ultimately, we hope that the analysis here will help those involved in the criminal justice system and the public more broadly to determine what each of us must do to respond to systemic failures, to counter injustices, and to ensure that the tragedies of wrongful convictions do not continue. Of course, the Report also makes clear that conviction review units play a vital role. The hope is that existing and future conviction review units and innocence advocates across the country will have a better understanding of how to identify wrongful convictions and to address the many contributing factors that lead to wrongful convictions in the first instance."
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- 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;-----------------------------------------------------------------FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."Lawyer Radha Natarajan:Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;------------------------------------------------------------------
