Wrongly convicted Colorado man set free after 16 years

[Barth]

http://news.yahoo.com/wrongly-accused-colorado-man-set-free-16-years-000543186.html

Junction, Colorado, a free man after a judge found him innocent of the 1994 killing and said his exoneration marked a "historic day" for the state.
"Mr. Dewey spent 6,219 days of his life incarcerated for a crime he did not do," Mesa County District Judge Brian Flynn said during the brief hearing. "This is a reminder to the entire system that it's not perfect."
Flynn said prosecutors had not committed misconduct, Dewey had been represented by good defense attorneys, and an impartial jury had heard the case but added: "Despite all these things, the system didn't work."

[kgturner]

"Post-conviction DNA testing has exonerated close to 290 people in the United States since 1989"

This is the saddest statement in the whole article. How many innocent people have we put to death? I'm a supporter of capital punishment, but just thinking about this gives me pause.

Kevin T

[OldLincoln]

The 290 exonerated is only of those that have been fortunate enough to get looked at. The system is far more than "not perfect", it's broken!

[kb2wji]

I cant even begin to imagine. What do you feel after you are freed after 6200 days? Are you happy to be free? Hell-on-Earth pissed off? Both I would imagine? I just cant imagine.

[Armybrat]

Recently here in Williamson County, Texas a man was released after 25 years for a murder he did not commit.

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/morton-freed-from-prison-after-25-years-1896148.html?printArticle=y

6 years ago, The local DA refused to have a DNA test done on a bloody bandanna that would actually lead to the wrongly convicted man exhonoration in 2011.

The previous DA had hidden some exculpatory evidence and is presently under investigation himself (he is now a state judge).

The present DA was cleared of any wrongdoing by the State Bar, but I can't wait to vote his sorry butt out in a few weeks.

The State of Texas gave Morton $80,000 for each year he spent in prison ($2,000,000) and a $2 million annuity that pays him $80,000 a year for the rest of his life.

[getsome]

I have always wondered if identical twins share the same DNA and could one be accused of a crime based on DNA evidence collected at a crime scene left by the idendical brother or sister...Interesting

[muggsy]

I have always wondered if identical twins share the same DNA and could one be accused of a crime based on DNA evidence collected at a crime scene left by the idendical brother or sister...Interesting

It's my understanding that Identical twins aren't truly identical they each have their own unique DNA.

[muggsy]

The 290 exonerated is only of those that have been fortunate enough to get looked at. The system is far more than "not perfect", it's broken!

While the system isn't perfect it's the best system that we have. Far more often than not the correct individual is convicted. Our prisons are full of innocent men.

[Barth]

While the system isn't perfect it's the best system that we have. Far more often than not the correct individual is convicted. Our prisons are full of innocent men.

Our system being the best available is irrelevant.
This miscarriage of justice is just one more example
that there is room and need for improvement.

[Longitude Zero]

As flawed as it is there is NO system in the world that has a better track record. We always need to strive to improve it as time goes on.

[muggsy]

Our system being the best available is irrelevant.
This miscarriage of justice is just one more example
that there is room and need for improvement.

The fact that our system is the best available isn't irrelevant, it's a fact. None
of us are perfect, so the system isn't perfect. There has been but one perfect man on this earth and he was crucified under another system of justice. Be thankful for the system that we have.

[Barth]

The fact that our system is the best available isn't irrelevant, it's a fact. None
of us are perfect, so the system isn't perfect. There has been but one perfect man on this earth and he was crucified under another system of justice. Be thankful for the system that we have.

I'm not and totally don't agree on any level.
Nuff said

[muggsy]

Sorry Barth, I didn't intend to offend. In the six years I spent in the Navy I visited 27 foreign countries. There isn't one that I would put ahead of the United States. In no other country does the accused or the convicted have more legal protections than in the U.S.A. You have every right to your opinion whether it agrees with mine or not.

[Barth]

Sorry Barth, I didn't intend to offend. In the six years I spent in the Navy I visited 27 foreign countries. There isn't one that I would put ahead of the United States. In no other country does the accused or the convicted have more legal protections than in the U.S.A. You have every right to your opinion whether it agrees with mine or not.

Ah, a nice classy response.
I appreciate that and share your mutual respect my friend.

Thanks