Post by: Tecumseh on January 04, 2008, 02:27:07 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080103/ap_on_re_us/dna_exoneration
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Texas man freed after 26 years in prison By JEFF CARLTON, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 3, 6:25 PM ET
DALLAS - Three times during his nearly 27 years in prison, Charles Chatman went before a parole board and refused to admit he was a rapist. His steadfastness was vindicated Thursday, when a judge released him because of new DNA evidence showing he indeed wasn't. The release of Chatman, 47, added to Dallas County's nationally unmatched number of wrongfully convicted inmates.
"Every time I'd go to parole, they'd want a description of the crime or my version of the crime," Chatman said. "I don't have a version of the crime. I never committed the crime. I never will admit to doing this crime that I know I didn't do."
District Judge John Creuzot, whom defense lawyers credited with shepherding Chatman's case for exoneration through the legal system, recommended that Texas' Court of Criminal Appeals find Chatman not guilty. With several relatives dabbing at their eyes with tissues and cheering, Chatman was released.
"I really can't tell you how I feel," said his aunt, Ethel Barley. "But I can tell you it is a different feeling than I have had in a long time, just to be holding his own hand."
Before the crime is officially cleared from Chatman's record, the appeals court must accept the recommendation or the governor must grant a pardon. Either step is considered a formality after Creuzot's ruling.
Chatman became the 15th inmate from Dallas County since 2001 to be freed by DNA testing. He served more time than any of the other inmates, four of whom were in court Thursday to show their support.
Dallas has freed more inmates after DNA testing than any other county nationwide, said Natalie Roetzel of the Innocence Project of Texas. Texas leads the country in prisoners freed by DNA testing, releasing at least 30 wrongfully convicted inmates since 2001, according to the Innocence Project.
One of the biggest reasons for the large number of exonerations is the crime lab used by Dallas County, which accounts for about half the state's DNA cases. Unlike many jurisdictions, the lab used by police and prosecutors retains biological evidence, meaning DNA testing is a viable option for decades-old crimes.
District Attorney Craig Watkins also attributes the exonerations to a past culture of overly aggressive prosecutors seeking convictions at any cost. Watkins has started a program in which law students, supervised by the Innocence Project of Texas, are reviewing about 450 cases in which convicts have requested DNA testing to prove their innocence.
"It is time we stop kidding ourselves in believing that what happened in Dallas is somehow unique," said Jeff Blackburn, the founder of the Innocence Project of Texas. "What happened in Dallas is common. This is Texas."
The hearing attracted a standing-room-only crowd that included Watkins, who was greeted warmly by two wrongly convicted Dallas men who have since won their freedom. Also there was state Rep. Terri Hodge, a member of the criminal jurisprudence committee, who promised unspecified reforms when the Legislature convenes in 2009.
Chatman was 20 when the victim, a young woman in her 20s, picked him from a lineup. Chatman said he lived five houses down from the victim for 13 years but never knew her.
She identified him in court as the attacker, and serology tests showed that the type of blood found at the crime scene matched that of Chatman along with 40 percent of other black males.
Chatman said he was working at the time of the assault, an alibi supported by his sister, who was also his employer. Nevertheless, Chatman was convicted of aggravated sexual assault in 1981 and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
Chatman said he believes his race led to his arrest and conviction. The jury, he said, had one black member.
"I was convicted because a black man committed a crime against a white woman," Chatman said. "And I was available."
Chatman said he wants to work with the Innocence Project of Texas to support other people exonerated or wrongly convicted.
"I believe that there are hundreds, and I know of two or three personally that very well could be sitting in this seat if they had the support and they had the backing that I have," Chatman said. "My No. 1 interest is trying to help people who have been in the situation I am in."
___
Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report.
Thu Jan 3, 6:25 PM ET
DALLAS - Three times during his nearly 27 years in prison, Charles Chatman went before a parole board and refused to admit he was a rapist. His steadfastness was vindicated Thursday, when a judge released him because of new DNA evidence showing he indeed wasn't. The release of Chatman, 47, added to Dallas County's nationally unmatched number of wrongfully convicted inmates.
"Every time I'd go to parole, they'd want a description of the crime or my version of the crime," Chatman said. "I don't have a version of the crime. I never committed the crime. I never will admit to doing this crime that I know I didn't do."
District Judge John Creuzot, whom defense lawyers credited with shepherding Chatman's case for exoneration through the legal system, recommended that Texas' Court of Criminal Appeals find Chatman not guilty. With several relatives dabbing at their eyes with tissues and cheering, Chatman was released.
"I really can't tell you how I feel," said his aunt, Ethel Barley. "But I can tell you it is a different feeling than I have had in a long time, just to be holding his own hand."
Before the crime is officially cleared from Chatman's record, the appeals court must accept the recommendation or the governor must grant a pardon. Either step is considered a formality after Creuzot's ruling.
Chatman became the 15th inmate from Dallas County since 2001 to be freed by DNA testing. He served more time than any of the other inmates, four of whom were in court Thursday to show their support.
Dallas has freed more inmates after DNA testing than any other county nationwide, said Natalie Roetzel of the Innocence Project of Texas. Texas leads the country in prisoners freed by DNA testing, releasing at least 30 wrongfully convicted inmates since 2001, according to the Innocence Project.
One of the biggest reasons for the large number of exonerations is the crime lab used by Dallas County, which accounts for about half the state's DNA cases. Unlike many jurisdictions, the lab used by police and prosecutors retains biological evidence, meaning DNA testing is a viable option for decades-old crimes.
District Attorney Craig Watkins also attributes the exonerations to a past culture of overly aggressive prosecutors seeking convictions at any cost. Watkins has started a program in which law students, supervised by the Innocence Project of Texas, are reviewing about 450 cases in which convicts have requested DNA testing to prove their innocence.
"It is time we stop kidding ourselves in believing that what happened in Dallas is somehow unique," said Jeff Blackburn, the founder of the Innocence Project of Texas. "What happened in Dallas is common. This is Texas."
The hearing attracted a standing-room-only crowd that included Watkins, who was greeted warmly by two wrongly convicted Dallas men who have since won their freedom. Also there was state Rep. Terri Hodge, a member of the criminal jurisprudence committee, who promised unspecified reforms when the Legislature convenes in 2009.
Chatman was 20 when the victim, a young woman in her 20s, picked him from a lineup. Chatman said he lived five houses down from the victim for 13 years but never knew her.
She identified him in court as the attacker, and serology tests showed that the type of blood found at the crime scene matched that of Chatman along with 40 percent of other black males.
Chatman said he was working at the time of the assault, an alibi supported by his sister, who was also his employer. Nevertheless, Chatman was convicted of aggravated sexual assault in 1981 and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
Chatman said he believes his race led to his arrest and conviction. The jury, he said, had one black member.
"I was convicted because a black man committed a crime against a white woman," Chatman said. "And I was available."
Chatman said he wants to work with the Innocence Project of Texas to support other people exonerated or wrongly convicted.
"I believe that there are hundreds, and I know of two or three personally that very well could be sitting in this seat if they had the support and they had the backing that I have," Chatman said. "My No. 1 interest is trying to help people who have been in the situation I am in."
___
Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report.
Post by: Jamisjockey on January 04, 2008, 03:27:15 AM
Police and Prosecutors have too much power in this country. They need to be reigned in.
Post by: Balog on January 04, 2008, 03:49:00 AM
Post by: MrRezister on January 04, 2008, 06:06:51 AM
Police and Prosecutors have too much power in this country. They need to be reigned in.
That sounds awfully Conservative....
Are you thirsty for BLOOD?
Post by: Firethorn on January 04, 2008, 07:30:27 AM
A guilty man convicted - win
An innocent man goes free - also a win
A guilty man goes free - a minor loss
An innocent man convicted - a major loss.
In most of the cases I've heard about these people going free it always seemed to come from a gung-ho prosecuter and a stacked jury box where evidence was ignored/downplayed.
I some cases I wonder if it might not be worth it to give prosecuters a 10% or so raise - but fine them for every person they obtain a conviction for that is later proven innocent by some standard. Amount varies depending upon level of proof, seriousness of crime, and any court manipulation/evidence hiding, etc...
Post by: HankB on January 04, 2008, 08:12:34 AM
An honest mistake ought not be regarded as criminal conduct.
But in some cases their knowing misconduct - hiding evidence, ignoring credible witnesses, etc. - is so egregious that, IMHO, they ought to go to jail. (Does the name "Nifong" ring a bell?)
Post by: MechAg94 on January 04, 2008, 08:58:31 AM
I agree with Jamis statement about reform of the process. The death penalty is not the problem. It is just the source of emotion on the issue that prevents people from looking at this more rationally. I would add reform of the public defender system as well to that list.
Post by: K Frame on January 04, 2008, 10:05:22 AM
Police and Prosecutors have too much power in this country. They need to be reigned in.
That sounds awfully Conservative....
Are you thirsty for BLOOD?
No thanks, I had some baby blood at lunch.
Now, where's some programs for the poor that I can slash to the bone?
Post by: Firethorn on January 04, 2008, 10:56:02 AM
Mistakes happen, and, yes, even prosecutors are human.
Note that I said fined, not fired/charged. The general idea would be a slight shift away from 'iffy' cases. If they have to worry about getting hit with penalties in five-ten years for convicting an innocent, they might not push so hard.
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But in some cases their knowing misconduct - hiding evidence, ignoring credible witnesses, etc. - is so egregious that, IMHO, they ought to go to jail. (Does the name "Nifong" ring a bell?)
Agreed, I originally had a disclaimer at the end basically saying that when it reaches that level that they should charged criminally.
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on January 04, 2008, 02:35:03 PM
we have had some truly lame examples here in va. eyewitness was involved in one. she id'd here rapist as being tall thin and light skinned clean shavein her report. then a few weeks later she thinks she sees the guy working at her school follows him calls the cops. he is convicted largly on her testimony after at least 2 trials. he is short stocky very dark and has always had a beard. he pulled just shy of 20 before dna set him free, in a case like that i expect the cops and state to look harder
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 04, 2008, 03:06:15 PM
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Texas leads the country in prisoners freed by DNA testing, releasing at least 30 wrongfully convicted inmates since 2001, according to the Innocence Project.
That's the largest number of DNA-confirmed wrongful convictions, in any state?
Post by: seeker_two on January 04, 2008, 03:11:37 PM
Police and Prosecutors have too much power in this country. They need to be reigned in.
That sounds awfully Conservative....
Are you thirsty for BLOOD?
No thanks, I had some baby blood at lunch.
Now, where's some programs for the poor that I can slash to the bone?
....and don't forget to donate a case of dog food to the elderly so they can keep paying the pharmaseutical companies.....
Post by: Paddy on January 04, 2008, 03:41:32 PM
Quote
Which conservatives are bloodthirsty, and how do they relate to the topic?
All of them. Especially GWB. And you.
Post by: mtnbkr on January 04, 2008, 03:59:01 PM
Closed.
Chris