Go here to see a clip of DNA exoneree Johnnie Lindsey, Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins, Lindsey's attorney Michelle Moore and Lindsey's fiance' appearing this morning on the daytime TV show, The View. (N.b., It made me download special software to watch the clip on ABC's site.)Lindsey was falsely imprisoned for rape for 26 years; he was released last year and I was lucky enough to get to meet him in Dallas on the day he finally got out of prison. Along with about a dozen other exonerees, Johnnie's been down to Austin several times this spring to help lobby for changes to eyewitness identification procedures and other innocence reforms.
Lindsey's is one of the worst eyewitness ID cases I've ever heard of: Detectives on the case MAILED the lineup photos to the victim a full year after the incident occurred and that's how he was identified. Also, the jury in his case ignored especially strong alibi evidence - a time card and a work supervisor who said if Lindsey weren't there the business' work would have stopped.
Johnnie's case is profiled on the initial episode of the new TV show Dallas DNA which is currently running on the Investigation Discovery channel.
Via Unfair Park.
I gotta say that I think this is one of those cases where I hold the jury responsible as well. They were certainly not the only ones to blame, but they should take some responsibility. They clearly did not take their oath to hold the state to proof beyond a reasonable doubt seriously. There was certainly enough presented in his case for them to have come to the right conclusion.
ReplyDeleteI have a love who has been in prison for the past 12 years with the same situation as Mr. Lindsey. The rape kit was never tested in Austin, Texas. The court apppointed lawyer never insisted on it being tested. Get this...it was an Austin court reporter who was raped, and they never changed the venue from the court in Austin, right where she works. Does that sound fair. Thank God, the Innocent Project has taken my friends case, however they have had it or 4 yrs. They too don't get into any rush themselves!!! ;-( This needs to be stopped. Any one who is accused of Rape..their DNA should be tested and proven guilty before they can be convicted. This is still going on in the cases of rape!!!!!JoAnn in Conroe, Texas
ReplyDeleteThat is truly sad. Thats too long not to see your family, when you were innocent. If i falsely accused someone and i knew i wasted 20+ years of someones life, i would cry myself to sleep!
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