The nation’s first Wrongful Conviction Summit sponsored by Senator Ellis with the support of Senator Whitmire, was held at the Capitol on May 8^th.   Texas is leading the nation in wrongful convictions; hundreds of stakeholders attended the summit to understand what is causing our justice system to fail. 

The Innocence Project of Texas selected 40 cases to investigate in Dallas County.  Of those cases, 17 Texans have been exonerated on DNA evidence alone.  This is a wrongful conviction rate over 40 percent.

Nine of the most recent exonerated addressed lawmakers and attendees during the summit, sharing stories on the impact of incarceration in their lives and the lives of their families.  Collectively these nine men spent over 100 years in Texas prisons for crimes they did not commit.

An editorial released by the Austin American Statesman editorial board provided circumstances that had led to a majority of the false convictions.  From eye witness testimony to false forensic testimony or suppressed evidence, the system in Texas is one that needs our attention. 

Helpful Links:

Statesman.com - May 19, 2008

Chief justice wants state commission to study wrongful convictions. Governor says it would be another layer of bureaucracy

http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/05/19/0519innocence.html

Recent release by the editorial board of the Austin American Statesman: May 17, 2008

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/editorial/entries/2008/05/17/dumb_on_crime_means_broken_liv.html

Innocence Project

http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/1311.php

New Innocence Project video: Three Texan exonerees tell their stories

http://www.innocenceproject.org/news/playvideo.php?file=/Images/1332/texas_31_exon.wmv&title=&time=04:24#