Tag: wrongful convictions
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Why forensic evidence isn’t always conclusive
Forensic disciplines from bite marks to hair comparison have been challenged or discredited. Understanding the limits of forensic evidence is essential to fair trials.
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Why Eyewitnesses Can Be Unreliable
Memory is reconstructive, not photographic. Decades of research show why confident eyewitness testimony has sent innocent people to prison — and how to weight it better.
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The limits of DNA evidence
DNA is treated as the gold standard of forensic proof, but it has real limits. Here’s where it can mislead juries and what it doesn’t actually prove.
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Confessions aren’t always reliable
False confessions account for a meaningful share of wrongful convictions. The interrogation methods that produce them are still routine in U.S. policing.
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Why appeals don’t always fix errors
Appeals courts sound like a safety net, but the rules limit what they can correct. Here’s why even clear trial errors often survive appellate review.
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The challenge of overturning convictions
Most wrongful conviction efforts fail not because the defendant is guilty but because of procedural rules designed to make reversal nearly impossible.
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Eyewitness memory and why contradictions aren’t what they seem
Inconsistent witness accounts feel like proof someone is lying. Memory science says otherwise — and the legal system is finally starting to catch up.
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Eyewitness Testimony Can Be Deeply Flawed
Eyewitness testimony is among the most persuasive evidence in court — and one of the least reliable. Decades of research has documented why.