home

Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison

By Jeralyn, Section Innocence Cases
Posted on Wed Dec 07, 2005 at 11:04:55 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Robert Clark Jr. of Georgia is about to be a free man, after serving 24 years of a life sentence for a rape DNA now shows he did not commit. In his case, the DNA not only freed him, it found the guilty person.

Kudos to the Innocence Project who took his case and got the conviction vacated. You can read the details here.

< Where Does George Tenet Fit? | Harold Pinter Blasts Blair and Bush in Nobel Acceptance Speech >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:46 PM EST
    From the Innocence Project link:
    In December 2003, along with local counsel at the Georgia Innocence Project, the Project filed a motion under Georgia’s post conviction DNA testing statute. Though District Attorney’s Office opposed the motion, testing was granted. The State then brought a successful challenge to Clark’s choice of laboratory.
    I have been following DNA exoneration cases for a few years and I have noticed that the above happens often. From the New York Times link:
    For his part, Mr. Clark stands to get some restitution from the state, which has paid $1.5 million to two other exonerated men. But, he said, he is thinking more about his 5-year-old granddaughter, Alexis, than how much he might be owed. "They owe me an apology," he said. "They done messed my life up." And he smiled.
    In my state, PA, there is no automatic restitution for people who have been exonerated. Their only option is through civil lawsuits. One state representative is trying to change this. However, he is not getting very much support from others in the PA state legislature and the PA Attorney General doesn't like it either.
    Attorney General Tom Corbett says such cases are rare in Pennsylvania and remedies are available through lawsuits. "Overall, we are not supportive of the legislation," Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley said. "It's a solution in search of a problem."
    I would not mind one bit if my tax dollars went to restitution of exonerated prisoners. What I do mind is that my tax dollars go to District Attorneys that stand in the way of testing that can prove a person's innocence.

    Re: Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison (none / 0) (#2)
    by jen on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:46 PM EST
    Whatever happened to taking responsibility for one's actions? If the state made a mistake shouldn't it rectify it?

    Re: Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison (none / 0) (#3)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:46 PM EST
    Whatever happened to taking responsibility for one's actions?
    9/11 changed everything.

    Re: Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison (none / 0) (#4)
    by Johnny on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:50 PM EST
    Sorry Jen, his release is proof the system works and that is all the reward he needs. (SARCASM SARCASM)

    Freed by DNA After 24 Years in Prison | 4 comments (4 topical)