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Alaska Innocence Project Works to Exonerate the Falsely ConvictedNearly 300 convictions overturned nationwideRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - No innocent person should be sent to jail: but it happens. "I think everybody in our profession - judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys - what keeps you up at night is the possibility of somebody who is truly innocent sitting in jail,” said Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Wolverton Friday outside of a conference put on by the Alaska Bar Association. The co-director of the Innocence Project, Peter Neufeld, was the key speaker. Neufeld is in Anchorage to speak with judges and lawyers about ways he says the justice system can be improved. There are numerous factors that can lead to a wrongful conviction, he said, including eyewitness misidentification, false confessions, bad defense lawyers, and the use of untrustworthy jailhouse informants. Wolverton welcomed Neufeld and his ideas on how to address some of those factors. "Our understanding of eye-witness identification is basically just wrong that all of us have accepted that this person said they saw the individual at the scene, and time and time again we're just wrong,” Wolverton said. The Alaska chapter of the Innocence Project is being kept busy with almost 250 requests for assistance and five active cases. Project members are also working with lawmakers to try and strengthen the system. "We are working now with Senator Hollis French to get legislation passed to bring best practices in eye-witness identification to Alaska,” said Bill Oberly, the executive director of the Alaska Innocence Project. Using DNA evidence, the Innocence Project has helped overturn convictions for 289 people nationally. "The much more challenging cases are the ones the Alaska Innocence Project takes, where there may not be any DNA but the person may still be innocent,” Neufeld said. |
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Celia Harrison said on Saturday, Nov 24 at 2:17 AM
@ Mike J, Please note I have the courage to use my whole name and have told my story in detail on my blog Frozen Justice. The multiple charges are done to force a plea, the prosecutor was malfeasant and protecting the hospital, the public defender was a drunk, I was wrongfully imprisoned in an attempt to shut me up in an unrelated case that I was innocent of. They knowingly allowed the real perpetrator to harm and starve my cat as well as steal my property or put it in the rain. I was tortured in the prison. This all began as severe workplace bullying at a very screwed up hospital which I suspect is the worst for workplace bullying in the country. They gave me PTSD and I could not get any psychiatric help, I finally lost it the day the charges happened. Yes, I do `know` and unfortunately so many don't. Three psychiatrists have asked me to write a book about it, the community bullying, the lack of mental health care here, and the police abuse, and what the state did to me follow.
107509981Wes said on Sunday, Jun 3 at 10:20 PM
More than 30 years ago I was called as a witness in a drug case. The state's informant was taking state money, purchasing drugs and then turning part of the drugs and names to the state. He tried to sell me cocaine--I don't do that sort of thing. Trial ended in a not guilty verdict. The thing that bothered me is that the state knew their witness was doing this and turned a blind eye. We live in an imperfect world, that's all.
92718146Mike J said on Sunday, Jun 3 at 4:19 PM
@Celia Harrison Do you know that from the Forcible Entry charges, or from all those Controlled Substance felonies? Always interesting, the ones that 'know'...
92694393Tom Ak said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 10:36 PM
Some people amaze me, if this was about a sex offender you all would be ready to hang some one, but when the story is about wrong fully accused your on a different band wagon. Can't you think for your selves, without being directed by the news media?
92629196Anonymous said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 8:40 PM
there is another that got accused of rape and he didn't do it but I don't think he went to jail... it was a frame up...for sure...neighbors daughter did it...was a favor to someone else...as I recall the judge dismissed it when the state stepped in...
92624884I'm sure said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 8:09 PM
I'm sure there are alot of people in jail that do not belong there. The city/states/feds have unlimited funds, while the working class can't out spend thier way to freedom.
92623415Anonymous said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 4:10 PM
good now clear that poor kid who was framed for a murder of a prostitute in 2002 Mile 12 Knik Road...
92608385Celia Harrison said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 11:46 AM
BTW, has anyone heard of even one exoneration in Alaska? The DOL and judges do everything they can to block any attempts and the public will not donate much money to help either.
92592834Celia Harrison said on Saturday, Jun 2 at 11:42 AM
Look, I know from personal experience there are people who knowingly arrest, charge, and convict people they know are innocent. It is done for retaliation and to shut people up. Then there is the problem of very poorly trained law enforcement, an incompetent public defender agency, and a Department of Law that puts more energy into the agenda of the current governor than justice. The DOL's SOP is malfeasance and when someone points it out they cover it up. It's really nauseating how the news media keeps it's head in the sand. Open your eyes and look around.
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