Predicting and Preventing Wrongful Convictions

National Institute of Justice Why are innocent people wrongfully convicted in certain cases yet acquitted in others? Could policy interventions prevent future erroneous convictions? NIJ-funded researchers at American University studied 460 violent felonies that occurred between 1980 and 2012 to find the answers.

Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes

Brooklyn is ground zero for wrongful convictions in New York City, and DA Charles Hynes has allowed many to go through his office.

New Jersey man arrested in 1979 Etan Patz case

Lonnie Soury quoted in article: "Most people think someone would never confess to a crime they didn't commit. Unfortunately it happens all the time," said Lonnie Soury, the co-founder of FalseConfessions.org, which monitors cases of wrongful convictions."

NY Times: Why People Confess

New York Times op-ed on why people confess to crimes featuring Martin Tankleff.

New York Law Journal Interview with Jeffrey Deskovic

Jeffrey Deskovic discusses his wrongful conviction and his freedom with the New York Law Journal.

Inside the Box: False Confession of Thomas

MSNBC features story of juvenile who falsely confesses to the murder of his sister in rural Arkansas. Attorney Dorcy Corbin takes the case to the Arkansas Supreme Court and, with the help of Steve Drizen and the Center on Wrongful Convictions, wins the young man's release.

Memphis Commercial Appeal Looks at 12 Year Old's False Confession

Thomas Cogdell was 12 years old when he was convicted of murdering his sister based upon a coerced, false confession. Now, after this case and the West Memphis 3 case have raised doubts about interrogation techniques used to obtain conviction, the Tennessee legislature is taking up the matter.

GQ on the case of the WM3

Gentlemen's Quarterly looks at the West Memphis 3 case. A definitive piece on the case from the child murders to the freedom of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley.

Juan Rivera - False Confession Conviction Overturned

Juan Rivera served 19 years in Illinois prisons, convicted on a false confession of the rape and murder of a young girl. DNA linked to another was present on the victim but prosecutors disregarded the crucial evidence to gain his conviction. Appellate court finally reversed the conviction.

NYTimes: Prosecutors Fight DNA Exonerations

New York Times Magazine story on prosecutors' efforts to fight wrongful convictions even when there is overwhelming evidence of innocence.

NY Times on Witness Misidentification

The U.S. Suprteme Court takes a look at issue of eyewitness misidentification.

Norfolk 4's Derek Tice Exonerated

Derek Tice, one of the Norfolk Four, had his charges fully dropped after being partially pardoned by Virginia Governor Kane.

Canadian Police Interrogation Methods

Canadian police are allowed to try to persuade a suspect to talk even after they have invoked their rights to silence and even after they have been told by their attorneys not to speak.

Economist Magazine on False Confessions

The Economist reports on the latest studies on false confessions.

Memphis Commercial Appeal on false confessions

Reporter Beth Warren focuses on some high profile false confession cases including those of Marty Tankleff and Jeffrey Deskovic in making a strong case for the West Memphis 3.

University of Arkansas Law Review

Mara Leveritt, author and authority on the West Memphis 3 case in Arkansas, published an article on the role of the media in Arkansas's troubled system of justice.

AP-The back story on the uncovering of notorious Chicago police abuse case

The Associated Press excellent story on John Burge, the commander of the notorious police unit that was responsible for torturing 100 men into falsely confessing, was finally sentnecee to 4 years in prison. This is the story of how this horrible case was first uncovered.

Court Allows False Confession Expert to Testify

In Pennsylvania, a three judge panel has ruled that Richard Leo, one of the country's leading experts on false confessions, will be allowed to testify as an expert in a murder trial involving the false confession of a mentally handicapped man.

NY Daily Record

Douglas Warney,wrongfully convicted based upon a false confession and imprisoned for nine years in New York State prisons, is seeking to overturn a lower court decision denying him the right to sue.

PBS Frontline on Norfolk Four Case

A compelling documentary about how four innocent men confessed to rape and murder they did not commit and served 13 years in prison before they were pardoned.