Tag

Eyewitness Misidentification

All articles tagged with #eyewitness misidentification

"Long-awaited Justice: Minnesota Man Exonerated After 20 Years in Prison"
criminal-justice2 years ago

"Long-awaited Justice: Minnesota Man Exonerated After 20 Years in Prison"

Marvin Haynes, a Minnesota man, has been released from prison after spending nearly two decades behind bars for a wrongful murder conviction. The Hennepin County Judge ruled that the evidence used in the case was unreliable and "constitutionally improper." Haynes, who was only 16 at the time of the crime, was convicted based on eyewitness identification. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office acknowledged the violation of Haynes' constitutional rights and expressed regret for the injustice. Haynes plans to rebuild his life and reconnect with his family after his release. The case highlights the issue of eyewitness misidentification, which contributes to a significant number of wrongful convictions.

DNA Database Exonerates Leonard Mack, Ending 47-Year Wrongful Conviction
criminal-justice2 years ago

DNA Database Exonerates Leonard Mack, Ending 47-Year Wrongful Conviction

Leonard Mack has been exonerated after spending nearly five decades in prison for a rape and weapon possession conviction. New DNA testing of crime scene evidence, conducted by the Innocence Project and the Westchester County District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit, proved Mack's innocence. The DNA profile uploaded to the database led to the identification and confession of the actual assailant. Mack's wrongful conviction was the longest to be overturned based on DNA evidence. The case involved unreliable witness identifications, racial bias, and tunnel vision, highlighting the common contributing factors in wrongful convictions.

Wrongfully convicted Florida man freed after 34 years of 400-year sentence.
justice2 years ago

Wrongfully convicted Florida man freed after 34 years of 400-year sentence.

Sidney Holmes has been exonerated and released from prison after serving 34 years of his 400-year sentence for a 1988 attempted robbery that he did not commit. Despite flimsy evidence and inconsistencies, Holmes was convicted based on a single witness's positive identification. The Broward County State Attorney's Office's Conviction Review Unit investigated the case and concluded that Holmes was likely innocent and a victim of eyewitness misidentification.