New York Times editorial: The True State of CSI Justice

An editorial running today in the New York Times argues for the creation of innocence commissions nationwide.

Modern DNA testing is steadily uncovering a dark history of justice denied. More than 190 DNA exonerations in 18 years show ever more alarming patterns of citizens, wrongly convicted, suffering in prison. Consider the eight felons finally exonerated through DNA challenges in New York State in just the last 13 months. Or the 12 people who had to fight long and hard to prove their innocence in Dallas County, Tex., alone in the past five years. New York and Texas are, in fact, the leading states in yielding these hard-fought exonerations. This is hardly a credit to their justice systems since the victories are won by dedicated pro bono lawyers, not by state monitors charged with finding injustice.

Click here to read the full editorial

. (NY Times, 01/29/07, paid subscription required)

Click here

to read about how innocence commissions can spark true reform.