07 May 2008

In which I, perhaps surprisingly, agree with the Dallas TX district attorney

The state of Texas doesn't exactly have an exemplary record re wrongful convictions. In the past 7 sevens the taxpayers of the state have had to shell out over 8 million USD in compensation in cases of wrongful conviction. Over half of these involved some measure of prosecutorial misconduct including the withholding of exculpatory evidence. Dallas County DA Craig Watkins thinks that more needs to be done including possibly criminalising this behaviour. (It isn't criminal already?)

I even have an idea for a minimum sentence. How about three times whatever the innocent person had to serve, including any pre-trial detention? And none of the time to be served in any of those soft, white collar prisons either!

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