Gary Dotson became one of the first people to be exonerated through DNA testing 18 years ago this week. Dotson served 10 years for aggravated kidnapping and rape. Serological testing, a limited but common type of biological testing that was used before the advent of DNA, played a role in Dotson’s wrongful conviction. Eyewitness misidentification also contributed to his conviction. Dotson was exonerated on August 14, 1989.
Unreliable and limited science has been a leading cause of wrongful convictions. Read more about
Dotson’s case
and also about the prevalence of
unreliable and limited science
.
Also celebrating exoneration anniversaries this week:
Tuesday:
Roy Criner
(8/14/2000)
Wednesday:
Eduardo Velasquez
(8/15/2001)
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