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The Resource In spite of innocence : erroneous convictions in capital cases, Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, Constance E. Putnam

In spite of innocence : erroneous convictions in capital cases, Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, Constance E. Putnam

Creator
Contributor
Summary
Few errors made by a government can compare with the horror of executing an innocent person. But the ordeal of victims of judicial error is not measured only by whether they are executed. This sobering book tells the personal stories of over 400 innocent Americans convicted of capital crimes. Some were actually executed; most suffered years of incarceration, many on death row. The volume confronts the reader with how easily safeguards against mistaken convictions can fail. In showing that ordinary citizens, in spite of their innocence, can become trapped in the machinery of justice - even sentenced to die - the authors deliver a strong indictment against capital punishment. Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, and Constance E. Putnam recount in alarming detail the mistaken identities, perjured witnesses, overzealous prosecutions, and negligent police work that led to more than 400 people being erroneously convicted of capital or potentially capital crimes in this country between 1900 and 1991. The authors describe the arduous routes these defendants traveled to prove their innocence; they demonstrate how frequently luck played a crucial role in freeing an innocent defendant; and they show how, all too often, public officials remained indifferent to evidence that an innocent person had been sentenced to death. "Most Americans do not seriously distrust our criminal justice system or the efficiency and dedication of law enforcement officers," the authors acknowledge in their introduction. "At the same time we know that public servants are not infallible, and that honest errors and occasionally outright corruption do occur. How frequently in the past has the criminal justice system failed in a capital case to convict only the guilty? What explains these failures? How likely are they to happen in the future? How, if at all, can they be remedied or prevented?" Radelet, Bedau, and Putnam argue that there is no remedy, no way to eliminate the risk of failures, even in what is admittedly the world's best criminal justice system, except to abolish the death penalty
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xi, 399 pages
Contents
  • Introduction
  • The ex-convict and the ex-policeman
  • "Me, they were burying alive"
  • Chance encounters
  • Political crimes and punishments
  • White mobs, black victims
  • "Since you're the nigger, you're elected"
  • A smear of blood and paint
  • Gullible police and a vulnerable suspect
  • Wrong place, wrong time
  • Guilty at first sight
  • The luck of the draw
  • "It's a scar that's been placed on me"
  • Even experts make mistakes
  • Conclusion
  • Inventory of cases
Isbn
9781555531423
Instance
Label
In spite of innocence : erroneous convictions in capital cases
Title
In spite of innocence
Title remainder
erroneous convictions in capital cases
Statement of responsibility
Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, Constance E. Putnam
Creator
Contributor
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
Few errors made by a government can compare with the horror of executing an innocent person. But the ordeal of victims of judicial error is not measured only by whether they are executed. This sobering book tells the personal stories of over 400 innocent Americans convicted of capital crimes. Some were actually executed; most suffered years of incarceration, many on death row. The volume confronts the reader with how easily safeguards against mistaken convictions can fail. In showing that ordinary citizens, in spite of their innocence, can become trapped in the machinery of justice - even sentenced to die - the authors deliver a strong indictment against capital punishment. Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, and Constance E. Putnam recount in alarming detail the mistaken identities, perjured witnesses, overzealous prosecutions, and negligent police work that led to more than 400 people being erroneously convicted of capital or potentially capital crimes in this country between 1900 and 1991. The authors describe the arduous routes these defendants traveled to prove their innocence; they demonstrate how frequently luck played a crucial role in freeing an innocent defendant; and they show how, all too often, public officials remained indifferent to evidence that an innocent person had been sentenced to death. "Most Americans do not seriously distrust our criminal justice system or the efficiency and dedication of law enforcement officers," the authors acknowledge in their introduction. "At the same time we know that public servants are not infallible, and that honest errors and occasionally outright corruption do occur. How frequently in the past has the criminal justice system failed in a capital case to convict only the guilty? What explains these failures? How likely are they to happen in the future? How, if at all, can they be remedied or prevented?" Radelet, Bedau, and Putnam argue that there is no remedy, no way to eliminate the risk of failures, even in what is admittedly the world's best criminal justice system, except to abolish the death penalty
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Radelet, Michael L
Index
index present
LC call number
KF9756
LC item number
.R33 1992
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorDate
1943-
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Bedau, Hugo Adam
  • Putnam, Constance E.
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Judicial error
  • Homicide
  • Capital punishment
Label
In spite of innocence : erroneous convictions in capital cases, Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, Constance E. Putnam
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages [361]-384) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction -- The ex-convict and the ex-policeman -- "Me, they were burying alive" -- Chance encounters -- Political crimes and punishments -- White mobs, black victims -- "Since you're the nigger, you're elected" -- A smear of blood and paint -- Gullible police and a vulnerable suspect -- Wrong place, wrong time -- Guilty at first sight -- The luck of the draw -- "It's a scar that's been placed on me" -- Even experts make mistakes -- Conclusion -- Inventory of cases
Control code
26012686
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xi, 399 pages
Isbn
9781555531423
Isbn Type
(cloth : acid-free paper)
Lccn
92017899
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Label
In spite of innocence : erroneous convictions in capital cases, Michael L. Radelet, Hugo Adam Bedau, Constance E. Putnam
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages [361]-384) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction -- The ex-convict and the ex-policeman -- "Me, they were burying alive" -- Chance encounters -- Political crimes and punishments -- White mobs, black victims -- "Since you're the nigger, you're elected" -- A smear of blood and paint -- Gullible police and a vulnerable suspect -- Wrong place, wrong time -- Guilty at first sight -- The luck of the draw -- "It's a scar that's been placed on me" -- Even experts make mistakes -- Conclusion -- Inventory of cases
Control code
26012686
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xi, 399 pages
Isbn
9781555531423
Isbn Type
(cloth : acid-free paper)
Lccn
92017899
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n

Subject

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