Friday, October 24, 2014

Jeffrey Deskovic Awarded $40 Million

Jeffrey Deskovic has been awarded a judgement of $40 Million Dollars in the wrongful conviction of rape and murder, after spending 16 years in prison.

DNA has pointed to another suspect. 

Mr. Deskovic has a website of which he issued a statement and included a report on the wrongful conviction. 

At his trial, he stood before the judge and said, "I didn't do anything" repeatedly. 

Below is his own statement.  If you had been falsely accused of raping and murdering someone, what would you say?





Welcome to Jeffrey Deskovic Speaks, 
I want to start by sharing a little of my biography with you.  I served 16 years in prison for a murder and rape that took place in NY.  All 16 years, I fought to prove my innocence.  At the innocent age of 16, I was arrested based upon a coerced false confession obtained from me following 7 1/2 hours of police interrogation.  I was convicted DESPITE DNA evidence which showed that semen found inside of the victim did not match me.  In addition, hair found on the victim did not match me.  I was sentenced to 15 years to life, notwithstanding the judge commenting, "Maybe you are innocent." 

Through a twist of fate In 2005, a letter I had written was delivered to anti-death penatly activist and amateur investigator, Claudia Whitman.  She suggested that I re-contact the Innocence Project and she urged them to take my case.  Six months later, they took my case and obtained permission from the new district attorney to take the crime scene DNA and compare it to the state DNA database.  The previous district attorney had refused prior requests to run further DNA tests.  As of a result of comparing the DNA to the state data base, the actual perpetrator was located.

The photograph below was taken on September 22, 2006, the day I was released from prison.  On November 2, 2006, following an apology and an acknowledgement of my innocence from the prosecutor and judge, I was exonerated of all crimes.
Jeffrey Deskovic Released
Myself along with Innocent Project attorneys Nina Morrison &
Barry Scheck (co-founder of the Innocence Project)
I am trying to take a negative that has happened to me and turn it into a positive.  I am trying to bring about reforms needed that will  slow down the rate at which wrongful convictions occur.  By doing that, I hope to reduce the amount of people that experience the same injustices that were done to me.  I try to increase public awareness about the danger of wrongful convictions and the death penalty through media interviews, writing articles for newspapers and giving presentations at universities, colleges, high schools, churches, and other community organizations.  I also lobby lawmakers and testify at hearings.

This website is where you will be able to hear my voice and views on issues surrounding wrongful convictions, criminal justice system reforms, my wrongful incarceration, capital punishment, and other criminal justice issues.  In addition, you will be able to read about the latest reforms taking place in the criminal justice system as well as the latest events transpiring in my life.

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