Miscarriages of justice and the conviction of the innocent
Archive theme
The death penalty is the only punishment that admits no correction. Every case of a person sentenced to death and later found innocent — through DNA evidence, a retracted testimony, a retrial — says something about all the cases in which the review did not arrive in time.
This page collects the news on miscarriages of justice, retrials and people cleared after a death sentence.
Latest news
- OCTOBER 19, 2016DEATH PENALTY
VIRGINIA (USA): SUPPORTED BY NEW DNA EVIDENCE, MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN 1970 FILES INNOCENCE CLAIM
Sherman Brown (69, Black), a man who was sentenced to death in 1970 for the Oct. 1, 1969 murder of a
- JULY 25, 2016TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Judge: Man cleared of murder shouldn't be declared innocent.
USA - Texas. Judge: Man cleared of murder shouldn't be declared innocent.
MAY 15, 2015ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER AFTER 17 YEARS
A former Chinese police officer was sentenced to death for homicide, 17 years after the murdered woman's
- JANUARY 20, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens acknowledged evidence that proved "beyond a shadow of doubt" that Texas executed an innocent man in 1989.
USA - Texas. Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens acknowledged evidence that proved "beyond a shadow of doubt" that Texas executed an innocent man in 1989.
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2014United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Former FBI Director Says People Were Executed Based Partly on Faulty Agency Testimony
USA - Former FBI Director Says People Were Executed Based Partly on Faulty Agency Testimony
- APRIL 28, 2014United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - More Than 4% of Death Row Inmates May Be Innocent.
USA - More Than 4% of Death Row Inmates May Be Innocent.
- OCTOBER 16, 2013JapanDEATH PENALTY
the Supreme Court of Japan rejected the seventh request for retrial from Masaru Okunishi, an 87-year-old
the Supreme Court of Japan rejected the seventh request for retrial from Masaru Okunishi, an 87-year-old
- JUNE 14, 2013TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Governor Rick Perry signed SB 1292 , which limits death penalty.
USA - Texas. Governor Rick Perry signed SB 1292 , which limits death penalty.
- APRIL 17, 2013TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. The Senate unanimously passed SB 1292, a DNA-testing proposal seeking to prevent wrongful convictions
USA - Texas. The Senate unanimously passed SB 1292, a DNA-testing proposal seeking to prevent wrongful convictions
- JANUARY 4, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SENTENCED TO DEATH, PAK NATIONAL WINS BLAST CASE ON RE-TRIAL
A Pakistani national, convicted and sentenced to death in India eight years back in connection with
- OCTOBER 22, 2012South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
a South Korean court posthumously acquitted a man executed 50 years ago
a South Korean court posthumously acquitted a man executed 50 years ago
MAY 21, 2012DEATH PENALTYUSA: REGISTRY TALLIES OVER 2,000 WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS SINCE 1989
The University of Michigan law school and Northwestern University have compiled a new National
- MAY 21, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 15 states urged the U.S. Justice Department to intervene to help import thiopental
USA - 15 states urged the U.S. Justice Department to intervene to help import thiopental
- MAY 15, 2012DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): MAN EXECUTED FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT
Columbia University law professor James Liebman said Carlos De Luna was innocent when he was executed in 1989.
- MAY 15, 2012TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Columbia University law professor James Liebman said Carlos De Luna was innocent when he was executed in 1989
USA - Texas. Columbia University law professor James Liebman said Carlos De Luna was innocent when he was executed in 1989
MAY 15, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO IRANIAN MEN FREED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE
In Malaysia, two Iranian men escaped the gallows after the High Court freed them of a drug trafficking
- FEBRUARY 15, 2012DEATH PENALTY
FLORIDA (USA): KILLER EXECUTED AFTER 31 YEARS ON DEATH ROW
A man convicted of raping a 29-year-old mother and dragging her into Tampa Bay's
- JANUARY 23, 2012DEATH PENALTY
US SUPREME COURT DECISION MEANS D'AMBROSIO STAYS FREE
the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by the state of Ohio challenging the
- JANUARY 23, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, 49, white, becomes the Nation's 140th Death Row Exonerated
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, 49, white, becomes the Nation's 140th Death Row Exonerated
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2011DEATH PENALTY
GEORGIA (USA): TROY DAVIS EXECUTION SET FOR SEPTEMBER 21
Georgia corrections officials have set an execution date for a high-profile death
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2011DEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. Corrections officials have set a Sept. 21 execution date for Troy Davis
USA - Georgia. Corrections officials have set a Sept. 21 execution date for Troy Davis
- JANUARY 7, 2011ColoradoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Colorado. Outgoing Gov. Bill Ritter today awarded a posthumous pardon to Joe Arridy, who was executed in 1939
USA - Colorado. Outgoing Gov. Bill Ritter today awarded a posthumous pardon to Joe Arridy, who was executed in 1939
- JANUARY 6, 2011DEATH PENALTY
ILLINOIS (USA): HOUSE VOTED TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
Illinois House voted to abolish the death penalty. Late Thursday afternoon, the House
- JANUARY 6, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. Billy Don Alverson, 39, black, was executed
USA - Oklahoma. Billy Don Alverson, 39, black, was executed
- DECEMBER 12, 2010TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Only 8 people were condemned to die in Texas this year, the lowest number since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
USA - Texas. Only 8 people were condemned to die in Texas this year, the lowest number since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
- OCTOBER 21, 2010DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): CONVICTED KILLER OF ELDERLY COUPLE EXECUTED
A Texas man convicted for the slayings of an elderly couple found brutally beaten and stabbed
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2010ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. Johnny Depp appeals for release of Damien Echols
USA - Arkansas. Johnny Depp appeals for release of Damien Echols
- MARCH 5, 2010OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, once on death row, now free
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, once on death row, now free
- DECEMBER 20, 2009DEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. New evidence in the Troy Davis case has recently emerged
USA - Georgia. New evidence in the Troy Davis case has recently emerged
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Texas pardons longest-serving inmate freed by DNA, James Lee Woodard
USA - Texas. Texas pardons longest-serving inmate freed by DNA, James Lee Woodard