After 16 years in prison, a whole new world - CNN.com

I cannot argue with your knowledge and wisdom; however what I like most about the system is we would have a chance to be forgotten if we ever make a mistake. Some people abuse the system lawyers get greedy and innocents pay the consequences.

Maybe you think the system work's but I trust Russian Roulette more that this justice.

He is currently looking to get a pardon from the state and if he receives that he will be entitled to some hundred thousand dollars

Overzealous DA who manipulates the evidence to win cases should be prosecuted, but unfortunately American Judicial system gives prosecutors full immunity and further encourages imprisonment of innocent.

NC is full of overzealous lawyers....Most would sell their mother's soul for a chance @ the big game in DC....Just look @ John Edwards and Jim Hunt.

Check this case in Maine www.fillerfund.com and there are thousands more of innocent men being prosecuted across our "land of free".

Sounds to me like the Capitalist system that financing both warring sides just to make a profit. And as long as the justice system is political it to joins the empire of the corrupt. The lawyer who gets the most money will win.

I am not fine with that. Are you?

That is - one of the arguments for - personal surveillance. Your cam - or your car-cam, or your friends - or just strangers camera systems - all might account your innocence - and/or account someone's guilt.

If in fact, we have such saturation of common video-cam systems - it would make a very large dent in crime.

If any of you have ever been involved in a road rage incident - imagine how that would have gone if someone had the cam light go on?

It would have tampered down the anger - post haste. Grimaces turned to smiles on an immediate basis.

And ps - cams are coming. phone, laptops - soon watches and jewelery - and car-alarms. Cars will all have cams capable to seeing 360 degrees. And everyone will know it.

Including the cops.

There is a better way but we all must speak up.

No innocent person should ever face false judgment and surely not death penalty.

I absolutely agree. I think we owe this man an apology and backwages and compensation for pain and suffering.

How much is that much time worth of your life?

No money could ever compensate for the emotional destruction of life. This man's body is free now but he will never recover from this experience. If it was me I would want to know that my sacrifice made the difference to all of humanity and no innocent person will ever be prosecuted again.

If you got busted down and thrown in jail - for just a day - or so, and someone were ask what you're time and trouble was worth - or ask any cop or any lawyer or any judge what their time and trouble would be worth - that's the answer.

Not to this innocent man.

what do you mean "we wanted this"?! "we as a society" don't want innocent people in jail, which is why our court system is the way it is--innocent until proven guilty, state appointed lawyers, etc. Far more guilty criminals walk free than innocent people being locked up.

this guy got a really bum rap, but let's not get stupid about it and blame "society".

Your statement that we have people in jail for "$12 dollars worth of worthless crap" is silly. He was convicted because they believed he had MURDERED a prostitute, not pilfered a baseball cap.

Far more often, what we have is rapists, murderers, habitual DUI offenders and others getting a light sentance for their crimes. Criminals guilty of committing identity theft get a slap on the wrist. Illegal immigrants commit dozens of crimes without doing their time. And let's not even start on the politicians and their corruption that they commit without any fear of punishment.

I agree. Every day I struggle with questions and unfortunately have found no answers. How did this happen to the country that above all values freedom? How did we become so ignorant and silent? Why revenge is more important than the truth?

No, it's NOT. The greatest tragedy is the number of innocent victims we have who could have been protected if real criminals HAD gone to jail.

No court system is perfect, but ours is weighted in favor of the defense and NOT the prosecution. Other systems require that you "prove your innocence", here the burden is on the prosecution to "prove guilt".

Are their inept defense attorneys? Yes. Are there corrupt prosecutors? Yes.

But take a moment to think of how many criminals get off scot free or with an obscenely light sentence.

There should be Innocence Commissions in every state, but let's be real: there are far more tragedies that occur because the guilty are let go than the inverse.

Here in Denver, an illegal immigrant with 19 arrests was let go AGAIN. He got drunk, drove his truck into a Baskin Robins, and killed an infant. Each of those other 19 arrests implies another victim as well. He was allowed to victimize 19 people before committing vehicular homocide (his 20th victim, not including the infants parents).

Now, what's the greater tragedy?

Our court system is not and has never been about the truth. Prosecutor is rated on successful prosecutions so if you're the defendant, he will do all in his power to lock you up. The Defence likewise is to do all possible to set you free.
Prosecutor says you did it.
Defence says you didn't.
After much thought 12 very average people decide that if you're the defendant, you must have done it, otherwise why would you be there ?
Guilty !

This is the reality in the field. The system is VERY much weighted toward the prosecution.

Our court system is not weighted to defense. We have professional liars for prosecutors - and most defense attorneys do the same.
The prosecutors lie - they say you are the most evil, lousy loser scumbag that was ever born - your attorney must counter that you were of virgin birth, a sweetheart with pure thoughts.

We need a law that allows any court representatives (who are supposed to be representatives of the United States system of justice) to go to jail if they knowingly fabricate a false story.

We think it's just fine to have murders and rapists for cops, sleazy, A-moral prosecutors, all vying for under the table payoffs and social recognition.

We pay prosecutors to get convictions with the promise of career advancement. If they lie and put an innocent in jail - maybe you - they get to be a Congressman - or higher.

So they're definitely inspired to get -you- - you're the one they want. -'cause they don't care about right nor wrong nor guilt nor innocence.

Agreed. You are describing what my research and court-watching experience has revealed. I recently came across this simply explained the corruption of our judicial system.

http://faqusajudicialcorruption.blogspot.com/

This is truly a horror!

I knew attorneys that would hang around the court house and pick-up eight defense cases a day. That makes their healthy yearly income right there. (And curtisreed: THIS is what happens) - These cases are divvied up over lunch with the prosecutors everyday. They decide who is getting what cases (and paid for them) and what they're going accept for plea-bargains on the current case load.

Then the attorney goes over and interviews the defendant, telling him he can't really do too much for him because of such burdensome case-loads they have at the county so if the guy's family can come up with an amount equal to a retainer, he'll be able do much more for him. (Of course, it will be decided between lunch-buddies, really).

Then, since they don't have any money, the attorney has a private conversation with the guy's wife - telling her that much more can be done if he can get a little special attention, two or three times. This will graduate to more if her husband somehow gets stuck in the system a little longer than expected because, after all, she has kids and has to do whatever it takes to get her guy back. If it goes down, she very probably doesn't tell him.

Eventually he tells the defendant that he's been able to get him a great deal with the prosecutor, considering all the charges they had filed - even though the guy isn't guilty, if they have to go to trial, he'll be gone - just plain gone - so he should take the deal. He'll be a felon but at least he'll have a good shot at having a life back at some point.

Also, the prosecutor knows just what his buddy is getting, he knows what his buddy is going to get when they first see the case and the family, so when they are laughing together and making deals, he might give the attorney an extra week or so continuance of the court case for the attorney's "special considerations" the prosecutor knows he's getting.

That's your FUCKING justice system. That's the truth and you might take a little humility with all your conservative big-talk.

Well, I refuse to sit around and wait untill someone in my family will become a victim of this system!

We have a country of victims and victimizers. It's called the old boy system. It stains all.
I do not believe it is the natural course of humanity - but a very bad, perverted habit.

All of these posters on current, for instance, whether red or blue, religious or no-religion, all are engaged toward the good - toward the right and for what should be.

I do not know well what you are talking about but my adult experince believe every single word you say, Thank for putting a spot light there.

Yes, it seems so stark - so many argue for their notions of what is right, passion devoted to a better way, according to a view. At the same time, there are takers.
People who wholly take. It's them, them, them, them, them. They are so latched into their MOs, there are no ethics, morals nor responsibility to be seen. They operate like pediphiles - only concern for themselves with no introspection.
Such types are disease - and you can find them everywhere. Positions with some sort of power.
The disease is immaturity and a bad or low world-view. Part of the low world-view is simply the dark ages in which we are still living. They aspired to position and did not climb out of their undeveloped youth, emotionally.
Big Babies running things. But they know how to fake it.

I tried to sign this petition but error occurred. Is it too late?

I think you might have to be a member of Change.org. Just a quick sign up.

Thanks, I later went back and was able to sign the petition. Please keep me posted on this story.

I will. I hope his case gets reexamined. If not he will be killed. Its Texas.

IF the prosecutor knew that the "blood" was NOT blood--which apparentlythey didn't because it was a NEW test that proved that it was not what the police had thought it was--then I'd agree.

We need to remain calm here and remember that new innovations such as DNA evidence, and other "new tests" are enabling the police and investigators not just to prosecute, but to exonnerate the accused.

This man's misfortune may have been as simple as having been accused at a time when appropriate tests were not available.

(Note: I don't know if there were prosecutorial improprieties, but without evidence of same, I hesitate to wrongly accuse a prosecutor or anyone else. Wouldn't that possibly be exactly like what happened to this poor man? Incorrectly accused, improperly jailed...because public outcry and rage put pressure on the police to 'get their man' --ANY man--and put him behind bars just to close the case?!)

This would be the logical explanation that prosecution did not have the tools to differentiate a blood stain from some other stain. Unfortunately we are going by the assumption that a person is arrested, prosecuted because there are enough evidence. And that prosecutor would seek the truth. Ideally that is the way it supposed to work but too often it is simply not the case. In my many researches and court-watching I find over and over again that prosecutor will do anything to bring in the conviction.

In fact, I find that corruption is often deeper then we can even imagine.
Take a look at this website. This is often the reality!

http://faqusajudicialcorruption.blogspot.com/2005/08/9-what-about-prosecutors-an...