Robert DuBoise: Florida: Major (Welcome) Development: It's official: Arrested in October 1983 for the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Tampa, Florida - and convicted solely on the pseudo-science of bite mark evidence and an unreliable jailhouse informant’s testimony (he spent three years on death row) - he was exonerated earlier today, the Innocence Project has announced...."Last month, Robert was released after new DNA testing of crime scene evidence that was thought to have been destroyed excluded him as the assailant and identified another individual."

PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "In light of the clear injustice in Robert’s case and the discreditation of bite mark analysis, Tampa’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) announced today that it will collaborate with the Innocence Project to review Hillsborough County cases in which bite mark evidence was used to secure a conviction. This will be the first investigation of its kind initiated by a prosecutor’s office."

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RELEASE: "Its official, Robert DuBoise  was just exonerated," released by the Innocence Project earlier today.

GIST: "Last month, Robert DuBoise was released after spending nearly 37 years in prison for a crime he did not commit - and today Robert DuBoise was exonerated on all charges. He was arrested in October 1983 for the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Tampa, Florida. He was convicted based solely on the pseudo-science of bite mark evidence and an unreliable jailhouse informant’s testimony, and he spent three years on death row. Last month, Robert was released after new DNA testing of crime scene evidence that was thought to have been destroyed excluded him as the assailant and identified another individual.  In light of the clear injustice in Robert’s case and the discreditation of bite mark analysis, Tampa’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) announced today that it will collaborate with the Innocence Project to review Hillsborough County cases in which bite mark evidence was used to secure a conviction. This will be the first investigation of its kind initiated by a prosecutor’s office. “I hope that my story helps others to keep fighting to prove their innocence,” Robert said. “I can’t get back the decades that I lost, but I’m going to try to rebuild my life with my family. It won't be easy. I am just so grateful that my voice was heard and the truth is out there.” Read more about Robert’s story and then share the news of his exoneration with your friends and family, because everyone needs to hear about it. Thanks — The Innocence Project Team.

The entire release can be read at:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/bite+mark/FMfcgxwJXpVVRxdsGplbDMLvZRwGPmXr

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;

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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;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD (FOR NOW!): "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they’ve exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

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