DNA Exonerates 200th Innocent Convict
DNA evidence has now been used to prove the innocence of 200 people convicted of crimes throughout the United States after a Chicago man who spent 25 years in prison for a rape had his conviction thrown out this week. Jerry Miller, 48, was cleared of all charges by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Diane G. Cannon.
Miller (shown in 1981 mug shot) was arrested for an attack on a 44-year-old woman at a Chicago parking garage in September 1981. The woman was raped and put into the trunk of her car by her assailant, who ran away when he spotted two parking lot attendants. The attendants later picked Miller out of a lineup.
Miller was convicted of rape, robbery, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated battery. He testified at his trial that he was home watching television at the time of the attack.
Miller was paroled in March 2006. The Innocence Project requested DNA testing on semen samples taken from the rape victim's clothes last year. The results pointed at another man, Robert Weeks, who was serving time for two other sexual attacks.
"We look at this as a learning moment," said Peter Neufeld, co-founder of the Innocence Project. "What went wrong? We have to get the answer for the future or there'll be too many Jerry Millers."
Background:
The Innocence Project: Wrongful Convictions
See Also:
DNA Exonerates Man Who Served 25 Years
Comments
Our prosecutors are too concerned with getting convictions. They should be seeking truth- not seeing if it’ll stick. That’s what the whole justice sustem should be doing in fact. They go so far as to tell youyou can’t talk or tell the truth or the judge will go worse on you!
Mr. Miller lost 25 years of his life because of a over zealous prosecutor. The prosecutor should be tried for wrongful imprisonment, and Mr. Miller should be compensated by the state for wages he would have made over 25 years with interest.
Twenty-five years of Mr. Miller’s life has been taken from him. The prosecutors should be tried for wrongfu imprisonment and Mr. Miller should be set up with housing and bank account that he could have accomulated during his imprisonment.
Althougth it is unfortunate that Mr. Miller has lost out on 25 years of his life, saying that the prosecutor should be incarcerated for wrongful imprisonment is in and of itself over zealous. He was doing his job in trying to convict a suspected rapist and it’s sad to say but sometimes mistakes occur. Just like guilty men sometimes get away with murder, sometimes innocent men are wrongfully imprisoned.
I agree with the top 3 commments…all were well said….
well I totally beleive it that yes just”like guilty men sometimes get away with murder, sometimes innocent men are wrongfully imprisoned”. but I also believe that with technology today the criminal justice system should not be convicted people like until prove them guilty.I am a student in the criminal justice field and I stringly believe that we need more educated, persistence cops and investigators to be able to not commit the same mistakes all over again.
It should be easy to clear EVERY innocent inmate with the offer of freedom or an added 10 years for a false claim ( request for a DNA test )
The inmate is the one who KNOWS.
I cannot even imagine……
prepaidlegal.com/hub/sharonreeves
What does this say about ‘ reasonable doubt’ ?
well I totally beleive it that yes just”like guilty men sometimes get away with murder, sometimes innocent men are wrongfully imprisoned”. but I also believe that with technology today the criminal justice system should not be convicted people like until prove them guilty. -Cristina Snow
It is better ( for ‘ free society’ even if not at first glance), that innocent or doubtably guilty men/women go free that if apparently or circumstancially(sp?) guilty citizens are convicted w/o proof.
I have a feeling we’ll be reading one of these about Scott Peterson before too long-that guy was innocent-I studied all the evidence in that case-you want to see some crazy circumstantial convictions-one for sure-look up scottpeterson. INNOCENT MAN
THIS JUST DOGGONE MADNESS RUN AMUCK. THE DA’S JUST WSANT TO HURRY AND SOLVE CASES AND DAMN THE GUILT OR INNOCENCE. I JUWST WONDER HOW MANY INNOCET MEN HAVE BEEN PUT TO DEATH BECAUSE OF OVER ZEALOUS DA’S. AND I AM SORRY BUT I DO THINK THAT THE PROSCECUTORS THAT DELIBERATLY WITHHOLD KEY EVIDENCE SHOULD BE PROSCECUTED THEMSELVES. NO INNOCENT PERSON SHOULD SPEND ONE DAY IN PRISON LET ALONE 25YRS.