California Hair Microscopy Case Review

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 FY16 (BJA - Wrongful Conviction Review) Pub. L. No.114-113, 129 Stat 2242, 2307. 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.

Santa Clara College, along with the Northern California Innocence Project, will use the grant award to initiate review of California hair microscopy cases in order to litigate cases in which the improper testimony was material to the conviction. The award will enable the grantee to partner with the California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors to perform initial review of testimony and assist the grantee with contacting state and local labs to encourage compliance with the project.

CA/NCF