Post-Conviction Actual Innocence Claims

The purpose of the Wrongful Conviction Review Program is to provide high quality and efficient representation for potentially wrongfully convicted defendants in post-conviction claims of innocence. This program is funded under the FY13 (BJA - Wrongful Conviction Review) Pub. L. No. 113-6, 127 Stat. 198, 253. Post-conviction innocence claims are likely to include complex challenges to the reliability or accuracy of evidence presented at trial which fall mainly into three categories: eyewitness identification evidence; confession evidence; and forensic evidence. The goals of this initiative are to: provide quality representation to those who may have been wrongfully convicted; alleviate burdens placed on the criminal justice system through costly and prolonged post-conviction litigation; and identify, whenever possible, the actual perpetrator of the crime.

The Dallas County Public Defender's Office will use its FY 2013 Wrongful Conviction grant to provide high-quality legal representation to inmates claiming factual innocence in Dallas County. The grantee will use its award to increase investigations by funding two part-time investigators and a full-time paralegal, as well attend training and fund expert forensics assistance. CA/NCF