Here are the top stories in criminal justice reform, taken from the Justice Newsladder.
Despite opposition from Gov. Rick Perry, support is growing in Texas for the creation of an Innocence Commission to investigate wrongful convictions and recommend criminal justice reforms. (star-telegram.com)
Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado signed a bill into law that requires DNA evidence pertaining to a case be preserved for as long as the defendant is alive. In cases where no charges are brought, it will be preserved until the statute of limitations runs out. (coloradoan.com)
Should overly aggressive prosecutors be held legally accountable in wrongful conviction cases? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether a Los Angeles D.A. should be liable in the case of a former U.S. Marine who spent 24 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. (arkansasonline.com)
South Carolina made the positive step of upgrading its Public Defender system with the Indigent Defense Act, which replaced a system which relied on nonprofit agencies with full time employees making salaries comparable with prosecutors. Just this week, a South Carolina woman's homicide conviction was overturned because of inadequate legal counsel. (islandpacket.com)
James Lee Woodard, who was wrongfully convicted for murder in 1981 and released 3 weeks ago, goes through the trials of adjusting to life outside prison in a world very different from the one he left 27 years ago. (cnn.com)
The Justice Project, an organization which works to increase fairness and accuracy in the American criminal justice system, is proud to sponsor the Justice Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles about criminal justice reform.