Tag Archives: DNA
Supreme Court gives with one hand and denies with the other.
This past week saw two nearly diametrically opposed decisions eminate fom the United States Supreme Court: District Attorney’s Office v. Osborne and Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts. The two cases provide a fascinating look into the thinking of the High Court. One … Continue reading
Posted in Case Updates, DNA Science
Tagged constitutional rights, crime scene, DNA, Exoneration, judicial opinion
Oprah highlights false confessions
In a show dedicated to false confessions, Oprah Winfrey asks the question what makes someone confess to a crime he did not do? By following the case of one man, Marty Tankleff, who did just that–admitted to murdering his parents … Continue reading
Posted in DNA Science, Exoneration, False Confessions
Tagged confession, DNA, Exoneration, homicide
Former Dallas DA: I convicted an innocent man
Today, the Dallas Morning News ran an editorial by James A. Fry, a former Assistant District Attorney who prosecuted Charles Chatman for aggravated rape. Mr. Chatman was convicted but conclusively exonerated by DNA evidence 27 years later. Mr. Fry, who … Continue reading
Posted in Exoneration, Witness Identifications
Tagged District Attorney, DNA, Exoneration, homicide, system reform, Texas
The vital importance of preserving biological evidence
As an innocence project, we focus not only on reversing wrongful convictions, but also on preventing wrongful convictions in the first place. One crucial part of such prevention is promoting methods and practices that will aid law enforcement officials in … Continue reading
Posted in DNA Science, Pennsylvania Law
Tagged DNA, investigation, law enforcement, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh
Case Update: Commonwealth v. Anthony Wright
This morning the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a very important question of Pennsylvania law relating to post-conviction DNA testing requests. Continue reading
