DA appointed to Texas high court's newly created integrity unit
By JIM VERTUNO / Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 06/04/2008 09:53:00 AM MDT


AUSTIN -- The Texas court that handles the state's criminal and death row appeals announced a new integrity unit Wednesday to address concerns in the justice system, including working with inmates who may have been wrongfully convicted.
The announcement by Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara Hervey said the Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit will study how to improve eyewitness identification as evidence, crime lab reliability, police interrogations and reform standards for keeping evidence.

Texas executes more inmates than any other state. The state has also been a flashpoint for the exoneration of wrongfully convicted inmates. Since 2001, 33 men have been exonerated, including 17 in Dallas County using DNA testing.

"This is a call to action to address the growing concerns with our criminal justice system," Hervey said.

The court will work with Gov. Rick Perry's office, the Innocence Project and clinics and "all parties affected by the criminal justice system, including currently incarcerated inmates who may have been wrongfully convicted," the announcement said.
All nine members of the court are Republicans. Hervey's announcement said the integrity unit is not a forum for a particular group or political party. The initial members of the unit include Hervey, state Sen. Rodney Ellis, a Democrat from Houston who has long advocated criminal justice reforms, Perry staff, district attorneys from Dallas and El Paso, law enforcement, defense attorneys and
district judge.
"Although we applaud all previous studies and dialogue, it is now time to act and move for reform," Hervey said.

David Dow, a law professor at the University of Houston and director of the Texas Innocence Network, said the integrity unit could have a huge impact. Unreliable eyewitness evidence is the top contributor to wrongful convictions, he said, Better preservation of evidence could help wrongfully convicted inmates use emerging technologies to win their case.

"I think this is fabulous," Dow said. "I think the court's recognition of the problem by itself is noteworthy."



I know the death penalty is a evil we will have to live with ,but it
makes one wonder how many inocent people were sent to their death .



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