Not quite justice

[jaizei]

At least it's a start. I think this part stood out the most to me:

Not all of the three welcomed the deal. During the 1994 trial, prosecutors offered to reduce Mr. Baldwin’s sentence if he pleaded guilty and testified against Mr. Echols. He refused then and initially resisted this deal, insisting as a matter of principle that he would not plead guilty to something he did not do.

But, he said, his refusing this deal would have meant Mr. Echols stayed on death row.

“This was not justice,” he said of the deal. “However, they’re trying to kill Damien.”

I don't know if many people would do that kind of thing.

 

[Robert]

Certainly an interesting case. Paradise Lost was an intriguing documentary.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Interesting.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

From having lived for a while not too far from where all this went down (in DeQueen, Arkansas), I can assure you that Arkansas has quite a few corrupt officials, many of whom care more about "fast convictions" than actual justice.

And no matter how much evidence there is to prove those guy's innocence, it's unlikely that the Powers That Be will ever admit to being wrong.

 

[jaizei]

I think that's the worst part, there are very few prosecutors willing to make sure justice is served. All too often you hear about them hiding exculpatory evidence to preserve their "case." It's almost as though they don't realize that freeing the wrongfully convicted is as just as convicting the guilty.

I have no doubt that there are many more cases like this, not only in Arkansas but throughout the more rural parts of the country. Hopefully, as things become more interconnected there will be less opportunity for this to happen.

 

[Robert]

And no matter how much evidence there is to prove those guy's innocence, it's unlikely that the Powers That Be will ever admit to being wrong.

I agree. I'm interested to see where this goes from here. I assume the Alford Plea will no doubt effect their ability to collect civil damages for being "wrongfully" imprisoned for 18 years.