DNA issues raised amid secret hearings in ex-cop rape case In general, experts say, sexual assaults often go unreported. Those the police do investigate seldom include biological evidence linking attacker to victim, said Daniel Medwed, an expert in wrongful convictions based at Northeastern University in Boston.
Federal authorities to investigate O.C. district attorney over jailhouse informants Daniel Medwed, a professor of law and criminal justice at Northeastern University and an expert on wrongful convictions, said there is a belief among defense attorneys that the use of informants is often based on a “wink and a nod” instead of an explicit arrangement. The other problem prosecutors face when relying on jailhouse informants is […]
The Christian Science Monitor 76-year-old man freed in 1957 killing as exonerations rise In large part, the trend is driven by prosecutors’ increasing attention to potentially wrongful convictions, including the rise of dedicated Conviction Integrity Units within district attorneys’ offices. “Most prosecutors want to do the right thing… It’s not in the interest of prosecutors and society to have an innocent person in prison, because it also means […]
Soft on crime turns out to be smart on crime A new report from the University of Michigan’sNational Registry of Exonerations has proclaimed 2015 as a banner year for achieving justice in America. A total of 149 prisoners — including 58 convicted of homicide and five on death row — were released from custody based on exculpatory evidence or the recognition that the Sixth Amendment right to […]
Richard family’s stance would have influenced Tsarnaev juror Daniel Medwed, a Northeastern University law professor who focuses on criminal law and wrongful convictions, said there are well-established legal opinions that say the personal death penalty views of victims are too inflammatory — and not relevant — to the jury’s final deliberations. He said Fagan’s recent statements, indicating that he could have been swayed […]
WGBH First full week of Tsarnaev trial has defense challenging prosecutions’ credibility Northeastern University Law Professor Daniel Medwed who has expertise in the area of criminal law and is a renowned scholar on wrongful convictions, says the “writings are very important to the prosecution because they show Tsarnaev’s state of mind in the aftermath of the crime.” He says the reason why the defense wants to introduce […]
Parole Is Granted in a 1995 Killing Investigated by a Brooklyn Detective Lawyers say preparing a parole application based on a claim of innocence is risky, because parole boards want to see inmates say they are sorry. A defendant who lacks remorse is considered more likely to commit other crimes. Indeed, a guilty person who pretends to be remorseful is more likely to be released than a […]