More Good News for Exonerees

The University of Michigan Law School  maintains a registry of the exonerated.  According to the registry, nearly one hundred individuals were exonerated this year.   With the assistance of innocence projects, law school clinics and other pro bono counsel, the wrongfully accused have garnered new hope since Attorney Barry Shek co-founded the first law school affiliated innocence project in 1992.

One exoneree, Kenneth F. Ireland, was appointed by Governor Daniel Malloy of Connecticut to serve on the state’s Board of Pardons and Parole.  The appointment is provisional until the legislature votes next year but in the meantime, Mr. Ireland has been an active member of the board.   Governor Malloy is leading the way in acknowledging that there is much to be learned from the exonerated.  Along with an apology, the state of Connecticut has acknowledged the many lessons that the wrongfully convicted can teach us about avoiding the mistakes of our past.  Good news!

To read the most recently reported exoneration case reported on this blog click here.