Has anyone that was executed ever been found innocent after the fact?

[wyldwolf]

DNA test could exonerate executed man

RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Virginia Gov. Mark Warner has ordered DNA testing that could prove the innocence of a man executed in 1992, The Washington Post reports.

The move marks the first time a governor has asked for genetic testing of someone already put to death.

The testing comes in the case of Roger Keith Coleman, a convicted killer whose proclamations of innocence sparked concern nationwide over whether the wrong man died in Virginia's electric chair.

"We have found that the latest DNA technology -- in certain instances where the other facts of a case support it -- has provided a definitive result not available at the time of trial or post-conviction testing," Warner said in a statement.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-20060105-22553000-bc-us-dna.xml

[rurallib]

1. There was just a case in Texas where a man executed @15

years ago was exopnerated by DNA.
IIRC the reason Gov. Ryan in Illinois suspended the death sentence was because of two similar cases.
Sorry - no links

[wyldwolf]

3. ah, yes. I remember now

thanks.

[Hardrada]

2. Jesus Christ

Probably Socrates, certainly Servetus and Giordano Bruno

[Arkham House]

4. Timothy Evans

This was in Britain, but it's a famous case...Timothy Evans was convicted and hung for the murder of his wife. Later, it was discovered that his landlord, John Christie, was a psychotic murderer who killed about a dozen women, including Mrs Evans. Evans received a posthumous pardon...this was a huge *cause celebre* in the UK about 50 years ago, and was directly responsible for the abolition of capital punishment there. In myHopinion, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was certainly innocent, and Sacco/Vanzetti probably were--but it's never been proven...

[WinkyDink]

11. ITA, Re: Hauptmann.

Also, the Evans case was made into a terrific movie starring John Hurt.

[skipos]

5. There is more interesting info about this case here

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/01/05/dna.execution.ap/index.html

My gut feeling is that the DNA testing will prove him guilty. That won't change my anti-DP sentiments since the DP does nothing to deter crime.

[snowbear]

6. Good thing for Warner he wasn't Governor then!

...Wouldn't have set well with his upcoming '08 run!

~ ~

[Richard D]

7. In a sane world . . .

. . . it would just take the possibility of such a thing happening to totally obliterate state sanctioned killing.

[sam sarrha]

8. Tests proved that in Illinois 17% of death row inmates were Innocent

when a new test came out.. you do the math.. they suspended the death sentence

[mucifer]

15. actually it was a repub governor in IL Gov Ryan who is very sleazy,

but he did one wonderful thing. He commuted every death row sentance into a life in prison sentance in Illinois. The other side of Ryan is that he is on trial for forcing people who worked for him to make or sell political contributions to his campaign. Our buddy Patrick Fitzgerald is the special prosecutor.

[MidwestTransplant]

9. Its a difficult thing to prove because the after a person is executed

most states destroy the evidence or even if they have it, won't agree to let it be tested.

[LiberalFighter]

16. Prosectors don't want their stellar record tainted with losses

[TexasProgresive]

10. Jesse Joseph Tafero

convicted with the mother of his children, Sonia "Sunny" Jacobs.She was exonerated but not before he was executed in an execution reminiscent of the Green Mile.

"May 4, 1990, Tafero was put to death in the Florida electric chair. Officials interrupted the execution three times because flames and smoke shot out of his head. During the first interruption, he continued to move and breathe."

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/depts/clinic/wrongful/exonerations/FLAJacobs.htm

[PDJane]

12. In Canada.........

we no longer have the death penalty, for which I am grateful. I do believe that Stephen Harper, the regressive conservative candidate, would like to fix that. I hope he doesn't succeed.

At least three men, Donald Marshall, David Milgaard, and Guy Paul Morin, were exonerated after being sentenced to life in prison. All three spent time in jail, and all three were there basically because they were "different"........and convenient.

The possibility of executing ......for revenge, for there is no other reason for state-sanctioned murder.....an innocent man......gives me the creeps.

Out of 1,000 people who have been put to death down there, there has to have been mistakes.

[ulysses]

13. what's Warner's view on the DP

in general?

[General Lee]

14. Perhaps Sacco and Vanzetti were innocent

Sacco and Vanzetti

[ProudDad]

17. OF COURSE

they were innocent!!

And HUNDREDS of others over the years.

The death penalty doesn't deter, is racist in its application, doesn't "sooth" the emotional hurts of the victims or their families and presents the example of the state murdering "murderers" -- a basic cognitive disconnect.

That's why the civilized world has done away with it. We're among the lone hold-outs that continue this barbaric practice.

[FredScuttle]

18. The Rosenbergs

maybe not found innocent after the fact, but certainly no evidence of them committing the specific acts of espionage for which they were on trial. A sad legacy of the Red Scare.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. Joan of Arc