Cheryl Beridon Research Paper

Wrongful convictions are one of the major problems that the justice system faces. Much worse is that there are people whom the judicial system has sentenced to death for crimes they did not commit. A wrongful conviction is a terrible injustice that is magnified when an innocent person spends years in prison or death row. The number of exonerated ex-offenders is steadily rising, however growing awareness of the injustices occur every day in American courts, it helps raise profound doubts about the accuracy and fairness of the criminal justice system. Cheryle (Hayes) Beridon was a young a vibrant 23-year-old female living life, she wasn’t living the most righteous life at that time, but she was free. In August 1977, the district attorney Norval

It was by chance that her brother met a representative from NAACP which was the starting point for pushing for her release. Before her pardon was granted Cheryle was sent to live at a half-way house in Lake Charles; where she was slowly reintegrated back into society. She lived at the half-way house for six months, where she felt those six months were the best time of her life. She could receive the guidance needed to start planning for her better future. After leaving the half-way house in November 2000 and continuing to restore her life to what she wanted it to be. Cheryle Beridon changed her name to Cheryle Hayes to get attempt at a new life. Upon her release or pardon Cheryle moved in with her mother and went to work for the Parish as a draftsman in the Engineering Department. Most ex-offenders have difficulty re-establishing life after being released; but the Parish President Bobby Bergeron was extremely impressed by Hayes determination and helped her with gaining employment. Cheryle worked hard and her demanding work paid off when she could move out of her mother’s house and buy her own home. She stood proud of an owner of a new SUV and a three-bedroom house. She lived in her home with her son Leroy Beridon. Cheryle experienced a few bumps in the road and there was a lot to adjust too. She was determined to get past her anxiety and continue pressing forward in her

Her exoneration exposed the District Attorney’s office of their underlying corruption in office during the 1970’s. Her case shed light on possible other cases where convictions were based solely on eyewitness testimony or informants. Cheryle exoneration along with the other 2000 individuals released in the past 23 years has led to a spot light shine upon the injustices going on in this nation. The corruption in offices, the lack of effective counsel, speculation and assumptions made upon a person’s guilt or innocence and the power over another person’s life. There has been 2000 people that have been wrongfully convicted of a crime, they have lost their lives behind a huge miscarriage of justice. There exonerations lead to changes within the judicial system and establishing laws that invoke the change needed. Also, there is an increase pressure for accountability on law enforcement and all other judicial systems. The exonerations of wrongfully convicted individuals also leads to the awareness that not only does the judicial system need to change but the sentencing laws to be reformed as well. Even though in Cheryle case corruption played a part in her guilt in her case, there was no way she should have received a life sentence for unlawful possession