Massive DNA Evidence Review in Texas

The Houston Chronicle reports that in Texas

thousands of cases are being reviewed for testimony about DNA odds that may have been given using outdated guidelines that inflated the likelihood a defendant had touched a murder weapon or another piece of evidence.

Developments in DNA technology had revolutionized the use of DNA evidence in criminal trials and had played a major role in the efforts to uncover wrongful convictions.

Although those involved in innocence litigation know that Texas has a very bad record in wrongful convictions, particularly based on DNA,  in the words of Barry Scheck (a co-founder of the Innocence Project), “Texas is the only place that’s systematically trying to correct it.”

Related Readings:

• 1 in a million? Wrongful Convictions Experts Study DNA Odds, Chron.com (Jan. 31, 2016).
• Gabrielle Banks, Texas Leading Massive Review f Criminal Cases Based on Change in DNA Calculations, Houston Chronicle (Jan. 30, 2016) (requires log in).
• The Innocence Project