Did Virginia execute an innocent man?

[Johnboy60]

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- With less than two weeks left in Gov. Mark R. Warner's term, time is running out for him to arrange DNA testing that could determine whether Virginia sent an innocent man to the electric chair in 1992.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/01/03/execution.dna.ap/index.html

 

[MadeInOz]

Why not, the states have done it before! They're criminals, of course they're guilty, we're perfect!

 

[Pentecostal Boy]

Well it happens.... no Government is perfect. Not even a Democracy or a Republic.

 

[BlessedMan]

Why not, the states have done it before! They're criminals, of course they're guilty, we're perfect!

From the article..."it will mark the first time in the United States an executed person has been scientifically proved innocent"

Good thing the technology has improved drastically since 1992 so hopefully mistakes like this aren't made anymore...assuming a mistake was indeed made.

 

[Cerberus~]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't these tests cost a lot of money, and from what I've heard, we don't have enough to test everyone on death row as it is. I'm all for clearing an innocent dead guy, but I think we should be more concerned with clearing the living ones first.

 

[BlessedMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't these tests cost a lot of money, and from what I've heard, we don't have enough to test everyone on death row as it is. I'm all for clearing an innocent dead guy, but I think we should be more concerned with clearing the living ones first.

I'm pretty sure that's how that whole "court system" thing we've developed works. If there's a reason to test the living ones for something...there's a process to make that happen. I've never heard of a defendent not being given a DNA test to clear himself...because it cost too much.

 

[DarthMom]

eidt, misunderstood your post. thank goddess lol

nevermind.

 

[praying]

Good thing the technology has improved drastically since 1992 so hopefully mistakes like this aren't made anymore...assuming a mistake was indeed made.

Misconception, most DNA testing is done post conviction if it is done then. It is an expensive process.

 

[praying]

I'm pretty sure that's how that whole "court system" thing we've developed works. If there's a reason to test the living ones for something...there's a process to make that happen. I've never heard of a defendent not being given a DNA test to clear himself...because it cost too much.

Well you would be mistaken in your belief that defendants are regulary tested.

 

[BlessedMan]

Misconception, most DNA testing is done post conviction if it is done then. It is an expensive process.

I don't believe this to be true...do you have a source? How is a DA supposed to get the conviction if he doesn't have the DNA evidence to prove his/her case? Are you telling me that if a person's blood is found on a scene that they DON'T check the DNA against the accussed?? I find that very hard to believe.

 

[praying]

I don't believe this to be true...do you have a source? How is a DA supposed to get the conviction if he doesn't have the DNA evidence to prove his/her case? Are you telling me that if a person's blood is found on a scene that they DON'T check the DNA against the accussed?? I find that very hard to believe.

Witness testimony. I will look up sources and psot them.

 

[MadeInOz]

From the article..."it will mark the first time in the United States an executed person has been scientifically proved innocent"

Good thing the technology has improved drastically since 1992 so hopefully mistakes like this aren't made anymore...assuming a mistake was indeed made.

I am sure there was a case a few months ago along these lines, but I might be wrong. It might be the first, but the first of how many?


The justice system is imperfect because it still relies on humans, and humans are fallible.

 

[JPPT1974]

This happens all the time my friends.
Innocent people getting executed.
Ain't the first nor afraid it won't be the last time!

 

[imind]

This happens all the time my friends.
Innocent people getting executed.
Ain't the first nor afraid it won't be the last time!

i wonder if there is anything we could do to put a stop to innocent people being executed? if there is anything we could do, which wouldn't result in letting criminals walk freely, are we obligated to do it?

 

[BlessedMan]

This happens all the time my friends.
Innocent people getting executed.
Ain't the first nor afraid it won't be the last time!

I'm assuming you have several cases you're referring to? Can you cite them for me please?

Also would like to know what your definition of "all the time" is?

 

[BlessedMan]

i wonder if there is anything we could do to put a stop to innocent people being executed? if there is anything we could do, which wouldn't result in letting criminals walk freely, are we obligated to do it?

How about developing a system where a death row inmate has a billion chances to appeal his/her case?? Oh wait...we already have that.

I'm the first to say that I'd rather have a guilty man walk free than an innocent man get executed, but I'd like to see the list of convicted death row inmates that EVERYONE seems to think is innocent and doesnt deserve their fate...while you're at it, if you could provide the list of all the innocent people we've already executed.

 

[praying]

How about developing a system where a death row inmate has a billion chances to appeal his/her case?? Oh wait...we already have that.

I'm the first to say that I'd rather have a guilty man walk free than an innocent man get executed, but I'd like to see the list of convicted death row inmates that EVERYONE seems to think is innocent and doesnt deserve their fate...while you're at it, if you could provide the list of all the innocent people we've already executed.

As of November 15, 2005, there have been 122 exonerations in 25 different States.

Innocence Protection Act of 2004

The Justice for All Act of 2004, Public Law No: 108-405, became law on October 30, 2004, and affects the death penalty by creating a DNA testing program and authorizing grants to states for capital prosecution and capital defense improvement. Specifically, the act:


Kirk Bloodsworth (Photo: Loren Santow)
Provides rules and procedures for federal inmates applying for DNA testing.

Creates the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Grant Program and authorizes $25 million over five years to help states pay the cost of post-conviction DNA testing (Kirk Bloodsworth was the first death row inmate to be exonerated by DNA testing); and

Authorizes grants to states for capital prosecution and capital defense improvement that can be used to train, oversee, and improve the quality of death penalty trials, as well as assist families of murder victims.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=40&did=1234

 

[Jacey]

i wonder if there is anything we could do to put a stop to innocent people being executed? if there is anything we could do, which wouldn't result in letting criminals walk freely, are we obligated to do it?

Um, life in prison w/no possibility of parole?

How about the case of Damien Echols? After all these years, without a single trace of physical evidence, he's still on death row.......

 

[BlessedMan]

As of November 15, 2005, there have been 122 exonerations in 25 different States.

So the system works??? This is basically what your post says isn't it? These guys got new trials and new evidence was presented...often DNA evidence that wasn't available many years ago when they were originally tried was now presented and they were proven to be innocent. Seems that when DNA was available, it was tested right?

Wasn't the statement made that people are not given the rights to DNA tests now to show their innocence because it's too expensive? Is there an example of that?

By the way, as with presenting websites that try and promote an ideology there's always another side to the coin...here's yours...
http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/DPIC.htm

 

[hoek]

I'd like to see the list of convicted death row inmates that EVERYONE seems to think is innocent and doesnt deserve their fate

Ryan Matthews - Lousiana - freed after the mask worn by the true murderer was tested for DNA and no trace of Matthews' DNA was found at the crime scene

Alan Gell - North Carolina - retried and found not guilty after it was discovered that prosecutors withheld key information from his case

Gordon Steidl - Illinois - freed after serving 17 years (12 on death row, later resenteced to life and served 5 of those) - no DNA link to the murders of which he was convicted

Harold C. Wilson - Pennsylvania - exonerated after DNA evidence cleared him

Albert Burrell and Michael Graham Jr. - Lousiana - Albert came within 17 days of being executed in 1996; all charges were later dropped against them, convicted on evidence so weak that even the prosecutor of the case said that the case should have never made it past the grand jury

Anthony Porter - Illinois - released after another man confessed that he had committed the murders

Would you like more? There are over one hundred. And as you can see, some of these cases did not hinge upon DNA evidence for conviction or exoneration.