Seth — 
December 15, 2009 @ 9:00 AM — 
This sounds like something every state should have but most states, including Florida, do absolutely nothing to study the cases where someone is later freed based on DNA or other evidence of actual innocence. The innocent person gets out, there is lots of hoopla and it is a wonderful event for them, their family, and their supporters. But when the lights of the news cameras go out and the buzz from the exonerations fade, all we are left with is the same criminal justice system that wrongfully convicted these individuals in the first place.
IPF Board Member and former ABA president, Sandy D’Alemberte is aiming change all that. With the support of IPF and dozens of high-profile, esteemed Florida attorneys supporting him, Sandy has filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court to create an Actual Innocence Commission that can study cases of wrongful conviction, find out how and why they happened, and make recommendations for reform based on those findings.
A St. Pete Times editorial states:
On Friday, a group of renowned attorneys that includes former Florida Supreme Court justices, former presidents of the American Bar Association and former Florida Bar leaders, petitioned Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Peggy Quince for the formation of an actual innocence commission. The request is modeled after a similar undertaking in North Carolina that brought together judges, police, prosecutors, defense lawyers, victims’ advocates and academics for a two-year review of procedures in the criminal justice system. The commission isolated factors that helped lead to wrongful convictions and recommended changes.
. . .
An innocence commission would comprehensively evaluate investigatory and court procedures, including those for eyewitness identification in cases like Bain’s, and suggest new safeguards. According to the Innocence Project of Florida, witness misidentification contributed to almost 80 percent of the 245 convictions later overturned by DNA testing nationwide.
We should not allow the canard that we have the best criminal justice system int he world to block efforts for reforming a system that is clearly broken. Wrongful convictions are proof that the system needs help. A truly healthy criminal justice system is one that recognizes its faults and endeavors to fix them.
This Innocence Commission is a wonderful idea that could pave the way to curing much that is wrong with Florida’s system and it is one we should all support.
Related posts:
- Innocence Commission – The Ball is in the Florida Supreme’s Court We have had some new news on the Florida Actual Innocence Commission front. We had previously discussed this idea on...
- The Florida Bar Foundation Supports the Innocence Commission Here is the press release from the Florida Bar Foundation who are also wonderful supporters of IPF’s work. FOR IMMEDIATE...
- Key Senator Expresses Support for Formation of Important Innocence Commission Key Senator Expresses Support for Formation of Important Innocence Commission Senator Mike Haridopolos Sends Letter to Florida Supreme Court Pledging...
- Innocence Commission is Cooking with Gas As you can see from our Press Release below, IPF’s efforts to create an Actual Innocence Commission in Florida have...
- Late May Innocence Commission Roundup There has been a lot of action in the media related to the prospect of an Actual Innocence Commission in...
- Innocence Commission to Begin; Prosecutors Grumble We have been busy here and haven’t been able to blog, but a lot has happened regarding the new actual...
Need Justice for Jared Duke, an innocent man in Springville, Alabama prison. Serving L.W.P for a murder he did NOT commit. He has already served 20 yrs. Check out “Justice for Jared” on Face Book. We need all the help and advice we can get. Please if you have any phone numbers or names we could contact that would be much appreciated! Reading about James Bain brought tears to my eyes. I’m so happy for him & his family. I pray everyday for justice for Jared.
Thank you,
Stephanie Shattuck
God Bless you James, what a amazing man you must be and God Bless those who helped bring the truth.
I have a close friend (retired Marine Captain) tried and convicted of lewd and lasvicious act on a child under the age of 12. There is no DNA involved. It was strictly an accusation by a very unstable 12 year old girl. This man has spent huge sums of money trying to get his conviction overturned, to no avail. The grandmother of the child involved is from a very politically prominent family with many connections. She is also the former fiancee of the defendant. There is absolutely no evidence against this man, yet he has been convicted of a crime he did not commit and is serving a 12 year sentence in Florida. Can you please offer any help?
To whom it may concern my cousin John Orona was wrongly convicted as a child molester.I know that he is not a monster he used to watch my 4 kids and I never got a complaint from anyone of them.He moved from minnesota to Florida and from what i know his exwife accused him of molesting her children the kids have recanted there story but he is still in prison.I have talked to a private investigator and still nothing. Thanks Tina 218-303-0203
This man that the system put behind bars is my cousin and he helped me raise my 4 kids and he would never hurt a hair on there heads.I have been trying to find him so I can send a letter,money or just to say hey I got your back I’m still here.I have faith that you will be free sooner then you think.I love you John