The Cause Of Wrongful Incarceration

Consider with me for a moment that you have been wrongfully convicted or accused of a crime. From the first arrest to the closing of those cell bars you have tried your best to prove your innocence but you weren’t able to and felt that no one would know the truth. You felt helpless because no one would listen let alone believe you. Every night you would lay in the cell hoping that someone would soon realize you are innocent of the accused crimes and do not deserve to be incarcerated. Eventually, you were exonerated maybe days, weeks, months, or years after the initial incarceration; no matter the length of time the damage is still done both mentally and physically. Even when you return home you have lost your job due to your time spent incarcerated

They must re-enter a constantly changing society that is sometimes judgmental and unwelcoming. For some people, these wrongful convictions are the result of government misconduct, false confessions, inadequate defense and prosecutorial misconduct, and inadequate forensic science. These are just some of the causes of wrongful incarceration. Even with laws implemented to hinder these causes of wrongful incarceration; they are still prominent issues. The question does the punishment or time fit the crime of wrongful incarceration comes when it is time to prosecute those who have a hand in the incarceration of these people. Could more be done to accurately compensate these victims? We as a community should support the victims of wrongful incarceration and projects such as the Innocence Project and; instead of turning our backs on them and judging them for situation that was out of their control. The government must implement new, effective, and preventive changes to the laws that punish those who play a role in wrongful incarceration to further the process of righting their

What I consider a severe case of prosecutorial misconduct was present in the case of Connick v. Thompson. John Thompson was wrongfully convicted in 1984 of attempted armed robbery and murder which resulted in a death penalty. Thompsons appellate attorney hired a private investigator to consider and find some scientific evidence to prove his innocence in the robbery case. A month before his execution a lab report that had been concealed for 15 years by the New Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office was discovered. Thompson was exonerated in 2003 on both charges after serving a total of 18 years with 14 of them being isolated on death row. After suing the district attorney’s office, he was awarded $14 million dollars for each year on death row (innocenceproject). According to the court documents, Thompson brought action against the district attorney’s office alleging that their conduct was the reason for his wrongful conviction and incarceration. When handing down the decision in Connick v. Thompson, Justice Clarence Thomas issued the majority 5-4 decision in which they decided that the prosecutor’s office could not be held liable