The Faces of Wrongful Conviction

The first of its kind in California, the Faces of Wrongful Conviction conference was the largest gathering of persons wrongfully convicted in California. Attendees, along with the 22 exonerees, discussed the most pressing issues surrounding wrongful conviction, the death penalty, and the problems with California’s criminal justice system. 

A variety of resources from the conference are now available so you can learn more and advocate for change:

Watch a Video
Watch and listen to presentations by murder victims' family members, former prosecutors, and national experts on wrongful conviction.

This month, we are featuring a video with Sam Millsap, former Texas prosecutor, who spoke on the panel “Executing the Innocent: Compelling New Evidence in Three Execution Cases.”  Millsap introduced himself as the man “who is at least partially responsible for the execution of the first innocent man in the state of Texas,” Ruben Cantu. Millsap said he took “full and personal responsibility” for his deadly error.

Other videos are available on the conference Web site, including 20 videos of exonerees telling their stories.

Listen to a Podcast
Download podcasts of 20 wrongfully convicted men and women sharing their struggles for freedom.

Get the Facts
In California, more than 200 people have been wrongfully convicted of murder, rape, or other serious offenses since 1989. Download a fact sheet on wrongful convictions in California.

Stay Updated
The capacity for error in the California criminal justice system has led the California State Senate to create the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, charged with reviewing the causes of wrongful conviction and wrongful execution in California.  The c ommission issues periodic reports. Its final report is expected by December 2007.

Attend a Public Hearing
The next public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2007, in Sacramento to discuss forensic evidence.

Host an Event
The ACLU-NC and conference coalition partners have created the Faces of Wrongful Conviction Speakers Series Toolkit to bring the voices of exonerees and other conference participants to communities across California. By continuing to speak out against the failures of the criminal justice system generally and the death penalty in particular, exonerees like Gloria Killian give voice to the voiceless: the unknown number of innocent men and women languishing in California’s prisons and on its death row. The toolkit contains everything necessary to host an event about wrongful convictions: lists of speakers and films, discussion guides, fliers, email announcements, and instructions.  Download the toolkit . 

Learn from the Experts!
The Golden Gate University Law Review released its 37^th Volume this fall, The Faces of Wrongful Conviction Symposium. The articles contained in this symposium edition are available here:

Introduction:

Innocence Lost…and Found: An Introduction to The Faces of Wrongful Conviction Symposium Issue

Comments:

Anatomy of a Miscarriage of Justice: The Wrongful Conviction of Peter J. Rose    

The Prevalence and Potential Causes of Wrongful Conviction by Fingerprint Evidence

Beyond Unreliable: How Snitches Contribute to Wrongful Convictions 

Exoneration and Wrongful Condemnations: Expanding the Zone of Perceived Injustice in Death Penalty Cases

The Time Has Come for Law Enforcement Recordings of Custodial Interviews, Start to Finish

Note:

Taking a Closer Look at Prosecutorial Misconduct: The Ninth Circuit’s Materiality Analysis in Hayes v. Brown  and Its Implications for Wrongful Convictions