Another man wrongly convicted

[holeinboatoutatsea]

He was convicted 13 years ago for a rape. Now, the DA's office is requesting that the man be released due to DNA evidence that was discovered 2 years ago.

I have read so many of these stories, it makes me question the jury system in general. Do jurors go in thinking the defendant is guilty, and ask the defense to prove this isn't so? Why else would this happen so often?

Will this man receive any help after being released, or just dumped out into a society he won't recognize anymore?

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/066/region/DA_seeks_release_of_convicted_:.shtml

[dorktv]

1. A lot of the times these people seem to have been plea-bargined.

[leetrisck]

2. We had DNA testing in 1991 - why was't it

done then? This goes on every day yet we are expected to believe we have a great justice system. The comments you hear about things like this are "see it worked" - we are releasing him. I'm afraid we have one of the most corrupt justice systems in the world. And how many innocent people are dead or still sitting in prison with more being added all the time.

[H2O Man]

3. It may not be the jury system at fault.

I've been good friends with Rubin Carter (see the movie "The Hurricane" or read one of the 3 good books on his case) and probably know more about his case and two trials than most people. The problem was no so much the jury system. Rather, it was the rules of evidence, and the often times far too close relationship between judges and prosecutors. Evidence of Carter's innocents was excluded; clearly fabricated evidence was allowed in. Only in the NJ Supreme Court in 1975, and the federal court almost a decade later, did he get a fair shake. 20 years in prison, almost half in solitary confinement, and he was NOT GUILTY. (Yes, some of the police involved knew from day one who the real murderers were.)