Innocents on Death Row
According to findings published by the United States, the National Academy of Sciences, 1 in every 25, or 4.1% of death row inmates are innocent. This is incredibly disturbing considering since 1977 only 1.6% of death row inmates have been exonerated and set free.
Death row cases receive a great deal of attention and roughly 60% of death row inmates are actually removed from death row and serve life in prison instead. Some might think that life in prison is preferable; yet, once cases are taken off death row they receive much less intense scrutiny. The result is innocent people have even less chance of justice.
In 1765, Sir William Blackstone wrote that “it is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.” There are those who would disagree with this significant quote; however, it is unlikely that anyone would wish an innocent to be executed or serve life in prison for a crime that they did not commit.
The justice system is supposed to help people; unfortunately, it also hurts a lot of people who do not deserve it. If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime, retain the best legal representation possible. At Mark C. Cogan P.C. Law Offices, we leave no stone unturned to protect our clients’ freedom.
