The John Tonge Centre, DNA evidence and miscarriages of justice - Part 5

The one big plus for DNA, as far as the defence is concerned, has shown that miscarriages of justice are far more frequent than we used to think. As the US experience has shown, a lot of people have escaped the death penalty quite correctly as a result of DNA technology.

Since the US reintroduced capital punishment in 1976 there have been over 107 prisoners released from death row and exonerated after their convictions were quashed. Twelve of those prisoners were exonerated because DNA was a significant factor in establishing their innocence:

• Earl Washington, Virginia, sentenced to death in 1984 came within nine days of being strapped into the electric chair and put to death for the rape and murder of Rebecca Williams three years earlier. Washington was reprieved and served 16 years, 9 ½ months on death row before DNA established his innocence. He was released from prison in 2000 and granted an absolute pardon.
• Kirk Bloodsworth, Maryland, sentenced to death in 1984 served nine years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1993.
• Rolando Cruz, Illinois, sentenced to death in 1985 served ten years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1995.
• Alejandro Hernandez, Illinois, sentenced to death in 1985 served ten years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1995.
• Verneal Jimerson, Illinois, sentenced to death in 1985 served 11 years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1996.
• Dennis Williams, Illinois, sentenced to death in 1979 served 17 years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1996.
• Robert Lee Miller, Jr. Oklahoma, sentenced to death in 1988 served ten years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1998.
• Ronald Williamson, Oklahoma, sentenced to death in 1988 served 11 years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1999.
• Ronald Jones, Illinois, sentenced to death in 1989 served ten years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 1999.
• Ray Krone, Arizona, sentenced to death in 1992 served ten years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 2002.
• Charles Fain, Idaho, sentenced to death in 1983 served 18 years before DNA established his innocence. Released from prison 2001.
• Frank Lee Smith, Florida, sentenced to death in 1986 served 14 years before DNA established his innocence. Smith died inside prison prior to his exoneration.

While the US justice system continues to address the fallibility of forensic science used as evidence in US courts men like Marc Renton, Wayne Butler and Stephen “Shorty” Jamieson are still waiting for Australian justice to investigate their cases. That long wait for justice is compounded by forensic testing facilities like Queensland’s John Tonge Centre that continue to use scientifically flawed DNA evidence and suspect interpretations of DNA test results to send more people to prison.