Florida Finally Creates Long-Awaited Innocence Commission

After months of planning and budgeting for an innocence commission to study issues surrounding wrongful convictions throughout Florida, Chief Justice Charles Canady of the state’s Supreme Court created the Florida Innocence Commission on Friday.

The 23-member panel comprised of attorneys, legislators, judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials will present a report on criminal justice policy reform and  preventing future injustices by June 2011 with final recommendations being presented the following year. Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos appropriated $200,000 to cover the commission’s expenses earlier this year and the Florida Bar Foundation approved a $114,862 grant for the commission’s work.

There have been 12 DNA exonerations from across the state to date.

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