Renewed Calls for Florida Commission Following Exoneration

In the wake of Anthony Caravella’s exoneration last week in Florida, lawmakers are seeking to install safeguards to help free the innocent, convict the guilty and prevent future wrongful convictions.

Mike Haridopolos, a Republican state senator, announced yesterday that he would  introduce a budget amendment to form a Florida Innocence Commission. His statement comes a week after the Florida Supreme Court  Chief Justice Peggy Quince said the court was “very much interested” in forming a task force but lacked necessary funding.

“This is really a two-way street,” Haridopolos said. “It will protect accused people who are innocent of crimes, but also give people the confidence to know that the people in prison are guilty.”

Read the full story here

. (Florida Today, 03/31/10)

Florida Innocence Project Executive Director Seth Miller

wrote about the developments

on the organization’s blog today.

Visit our

Innocence Commissions page

for more information about similar groups currently at work across the country.

Photo: Florida Supreme Court (Credit:

Gregory Moine

)