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Daniel S. Medwed

2012

Post-conviction DNA testing

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Beyond Biology: Wrongful Convictions In The Post-Dna World, Daniel S. Medwed Jul 2012

Beyond Biology: Wrongful Convictions In The Post-Dna World, Daniel S. Medwed

Daniel S. Medwed

Post-conviction DNA testing first exonerated an innocent prisoner nearly twenty years ago. During this period, we have learned many lessons from the 200 subsequent DNA exonerations, including insight into the factors that led to those wrongful convictions at trial and the procedural obstacles that can make it difficult for inmates whose cases contain biological evidence to procure DNA testing after conviction. Yet, as I have often written in the past, these exonerations are just the tip of the proverbial innocence iceberg. As a threshold matter, very few criminal investigations result in the collection of biological evidence whatsoever; over time, moreover, …