Friday Roundup: Uncovering Misconduct

Long-time Innocence Project client Ralph Armstrong

was cleared in Wisconsin this week

after almost three decades in prison. His case is one of the worst examples of prosecutorial misconduct the Innocence Project has ever seen. Here’s more on Armstrong and a roundup of some other news from the week:

Several people discussed the implications of misconduct – and prosecutorial immunity – on Facebook and Twitter after the Armstrong case broke. Join the conversation on

facebook

and

twitter

.

CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” continues its series on forensic science tonight at 10 p.m. EST with a report on Dr. Steven Hayne in Mississippi, who has been accused of reaching conclusions that go beyond science to fit what prosecutors need to secure convictions (this story was pushed back by breaking news last night).

Read the AC360 blog here

.

Reason Magazine

reported on the release of Bernard Baran

in Massachusetts and asked why the prosecutor in the case has never been investigated or disciplined for his role in the case.

We reported here on the U.S. Supreme Court’s groundbreaking decision in the case of Troy Davis, and Innocence Project Staff Attorney Ezekiel Edwards spoke about the case with

DemocracyNow!

The Guardian focused on eyewitness misidentification and

the case of William Mills

.

Connecticut Innocence Project client Kenneth Ireland was fully cleared this week – he told the Associated Press being freed is like “

waking from a coma

.”

Two Chicago men freed last month

were officially cleared Wednesday

when they received certificates of innocence, which entitle them to collect compensation under the state law (about $192,000 after serving 21 years in prison).

Virginia lawmakers

voted to compensate Arthur Lee Whitefield

and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said he supports

a bill that would expand prisoner access to DNA testing that can prove innocence

.