The Innocence Project - Know the Cases

Innocence Project Case Profiles

There have been 267 post-conviction DNA exonerations in United States history. These stories are becoming more familiar as more innocent people gain their freedom through postconviction testing. They are not proof, however, that our system is righting itself.

The common themes that run through these cases — from global problems like poverty and racial issues to criminal justice issues like eyewitness misidentification, invalid or improper forensic science, overzealous police and prosecutors and inept defense counsel — cannot be ignored and continue to plague our criminal justice system.

• Seventeen people had been sentenced to death before DNA proved their innocence and led to their release.


• The average sentence served by DNA exonerees has been 13 years.


• About 70 percent of those exonerated by DNA testing are members of minority groups.


• In almost 40 percent of DNA exoneration cases, the actual perpetrator has been identified by DNA testing.


• Exonerations have been won in 34 states and Washington, D.C.

Please take a moment to review the profiles of these unique cases:

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Search for a profile by defendant name, crime, location, year, conviction or contributing cause

View a national map of exoneration cases to get a geographical perspective of the issues

 

via innocenceproject.org