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Government Snitches: Incentivized Witnesses Are the Leading Cause of Wrongful Convictions
by Dale Chappell
Every year, innocent people go to prison, or even death row, because of government informants who lie to get a good deal in their own criminal case. The problem, studies show, is the fact that this horse-trading between the informants and the government is largely informal, unregulated, ...
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More from this issue:
- Jurors Showing More and More Savvy Toward Trial Evidence, by Edward Lyon
- News in Brief
- Minnesota Sees Rising Tide of Payouts for Epidemic of Police Misconduct, by Derek Gilna
- Government Snitches: Incentivized Witnesses Are the Leading Cause of Wrongful Convictions, by Dale Chappell
- NYPD Gang Database Lacks Transparency, Limits Due Process, by Kevin Bliss
- $175,000 Settlement to Public Protester with Profanity-laced Sign Tased by Police Officer
- Study: Racial Bias Inherent in the Jury Selection Process, by Kevin Bliss
- Agencies: Bite-mark Forensics Outdated Science, by Kevin Bliss
- Algorithm-dictated Freedom? Vet California’s New Pretrial Risk Assessment Tool, by Virginia Griese
- San Francisco DA Candidate Chesa Boudin Puts Criminal Justice Reform Front and Center
- New California Laws Peel Back Secrecy Surrounding Police Discipline Amid Pushback, by Betty Nelander
- Facebook Tells Law Enforcement to Quit Using Phony Accounts, by Dale Chappell
- ‘Ban the Box’ Movement Expands in New Direction, by Edward Lyon
- Forensic Entomology Helps Nevada Murder Convictee Get Exonerated After 17 Years in Prison, by Edward Lyon
- Massachusetts Drug Lab Scandal: Thousands More Cases Likely Affected, by Kevin Bliss
- NY Election Websites Tell Parolees They Can’t Vote, Even Though They Can, by Dale Chappell
- Police Use of ‘Undercover Friending’ Investigative Technique Unregulated, by Kevin Bliss
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Applicable Standard for Mandatory Testing Under DNA Testing Act, Reverses District Court for Applying Wrong Standard, by Chad Marks
- Hawaii Supreme Court Finally Complies with SCOTUS’ Apprendi Decision, Vacates Enhanced Sentence Based on Fact Determined by Judge, Not Jury, by Christopher Zoukis
- Sexual Assaults and Harassment by Members of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Costing Taxpayers Millions, by Edward Lyon
- Sixth Circuit Vacates a Witness Tampering Conviction, Principally on the Ground that the District Court Erroneously Instructed the Jury on the Intent Element of Witness Tampering, by Punch & Jurists
- Bronx Prosecutors Trained to Manipulate System to Delay Trials, by Matthew Clarke
- Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rosenstein Defends Junk Science Forensics, by Matthew Clarke
- SCOTUS Clarifies Scope of Generic Burglary Under the ACCA, by Richard Resch
- Report: Wisconsin Crime Labs Face Multitude of Problems, by Edward Lyon
- Custodial Interrogation Must Cease When Suspect Unambiguously Invokes Right to Remain Silent, Says Fourth Circuit, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit: Introduction of Deposition Video Without Making Good-Faith Effort to Secure Witnesses’ Presence at Trial Violates Confrontation Clause, by Douglas Ankney
- Oklahoma Supreme Court Announces Drug Court Dismissal of Charges After Successful Completion of Drug Program Entitles Defendant to Immediate Expungement, by Douglas Ankney
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Proper Evidentiary Standard and Type of Evidence for Informal Competency Hearing, by Christopher Zoukis
- Third Circuit Orders Habeas Relief Based on Trial Counsel’s Failure to Present or Even Investigate Mental Health and Juvenile Records in Pennsylvania Death Penalty Case, by Matthew Clarke
- Third Circuit: Summons Is Not an Arrest for USSG Criminal History Calculation, by Mark Wilson
- Sixth Circuit Reverses 60-Month Upward Variance Sentence Based on News Article Provided to Parties by Court at Beginning of Sentencing Hearing, by Matthew Clarke
- Ninth Circuit Announces Expert Testimony on Battered Woman Syndrome Not Categorically Excludable, Relevant to Duress Defense, by Richard Resch
- Fifth Circuit Holds Special Conditions in PSR Appendix but Not Orally Pronounced by District Court Must Be Removed From Sentence Where Conflict With Written Judgment, by David Reutter
- SCOTUS: Florida’s Robbery Statute Satisfies Physical Force Requirement of Armed Career Criminal Act, by Douglas Ankney
- Idaho Supreme Court: Temporary and Isolated Crossing of the ‘Fog Line’ Not Enough to Support a Traffic Stop, by Christopher Zoukis
- Louisiana Supreme Court Vacates Conviction for Batson Violation, by Christopher Zoukis
- First Circuit Announces No Joint Participation Exception to Spousal Testimonial Privilege, by Matthew Clarke
- Minnesota Supreme Court Holds Sentencing Guidelines at Time of Offense, Not Time of Sentencing, Controls for Purposes of Calculating Criminal History Score, by Matthew Clarke
- Eighth Circuit Rules Search Warrant Based on Affidavit That Failed to Link Target to Criminal Activity Lacked Probable Cause, Not Saved by Good-Faith Exception, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Denial of a Certificate of Innocence Needed as a Prerequisite for Damages for an Unjust Conviction and Imprisonment, by Punch & Jurists
- California Court of Appeal: Using Criminal Process to Collect Fines That Indigent Defendants Cannot Pay Is Unconstitutional, by Douglas Ankney
- Ninth Circuit Announces SCOTUS’ Rodriguez Opinion Requires Overturning ‘Reasonableness Standard’ Precedent in Traffic Stop Prolongation Cases, by Richard Resch
- U.S. Government Lab Withheld Groundbreaking Study for 5 Years That Can Help Defendants Question the Reliability of Certain DNA Evidence, by Steve Horn
- Cops Are At War Out There, by Jacobin, Brian Platt
- New York Mass Bail Out Action Targets Bail System Manipulation, by Virginia Griese
- From the Editor, by Richard Resch
More from Dale Chappell:
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: How to Raise a Fourth Amendment Claim, Feb. 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Beyond a Reasonable Doubt? Fingerprint Evidence’s Troubling Flaws, April 15, 2025. junk science, Wrongful Conviction, Fingerprint Evidence.
- Biden Clemency Recipients Included Virginians Sentenced for “Acquitted Conduct”, April 1, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Pardons/Clemency, False Confessions, Drug Laws/Offenses.
- Nebraska Supreme Court Announces ‘Working Days’ for Purposes of ‘Temporary Domicile’ SORA Reporting Requirement Means Weekdays, Excluding Legal Holidays, and Reverses Conviction for Failure to Register, March 15, 2025. Sex Offender Registration, Wrongful Conviction.
- Bite Marks and Broken Justice: A Louisiana Man’s Life and Death Struggle Against Junk Science, March 15, 2025. junk science, Wrongful Conviction.
- $25.75 Million for Exonerated North Carolina Prisoner’s 44 Stolen Years, March 1, 2025. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction.
- Hawaii Supreme Court Revives Exonerated Prisoner’s Quest for First Payout From Wrongful Conviction Fund, March 1, 2025. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction.
- HRDC Files Suit on Behalf of Florida Man Wrongfully Convicted and Incarcerated for 31 Years, Feb. 15, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, HRDC Litigation.
- Sixth Circuit Revives Challenge by Kentucky Prisoner Left Three Weeks in “Rancid” Paper Undershorts, Feb. 15, 2025. Informants, Clothing, Sanitation, Summary Judgment, Deliberate Indifference.
- U.S. Navy Exonerates Wrongly Convicted Black WWII Sailors, Feb. 15, 2025. Wrongful Conviction, Military, Racial Profiling, Racial/Ethnic Bias/Profiling.
- Philadelphia Agrees to $9.1 Million Settlement for Wrongful Murder Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025. Settlements, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment, Murder/Felony Murder.