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The Death Penalty Information Center

Truth In Justice

National Criminal Referal Service

The ACLU and the Death Penalty

American Justice: Freeing the Innocent
by Julie Y. Shah, age 18
Georgetown University.

A low murmur moves through the crowd as the judge re-enters the courtroom. A group of polished attorneys are huddled at the plaintiff's table. As the judge sits down, the defendant rises, head bowed.

A lawyer, assigned based on the defendant's right to counsel, joins him. A slip of paper is handed to the judge and unfolded. Guilty, it reads. The gavel is sounded, and the defendant, now a prisoner, is taken away - for life. Justice is served.

Scenes like this unfold all across America on a daily basis. We are said to have one of the most advanced and fair justice systems in the world -- even alleged murderers have the right to an attorney and a fair trial. Under the law, each one of us is innocent until proven guilty.

Sometimes, justice is not served and the wrong person is convicted. An innocent person goes to jail with a sentence of death or life in prison. To help these innocent people, several organizations work to release those sentenced wrongly.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 92 people in 22 states have been released from death row since 1973 with evidence of their innocence.

"People say we have the best system in the world. I don't agree with that," states Jim McCloskey, founder of Centurion Ministries, a non-profit organization located in Princeton, New Jersey.

As stated by the organization, "The primary mission of CM is to free and vindicate from prison those who are completely innocent of the crimes for which they have been wrongly convicted and imprisoned for life or death." Once their clients are freed, the organization also helps their clients "reintegrate into society on a self-reliant basis." Since its founding, CM has freed and exonerated 22 people, two of whom were on death row.

"We get hundreds of letters from inmates explaining their cases and why Centurion Ministries should take them up," says Anne Thompson, 18, a student at Georgetown University volunteering with CM while home for her winter vacation.

In order for an inmate's case to be taken, he or she must be serving a sentence of life or death. The Ministries also looks at the character of the inmate and the investigative potential of the case. On average, it takes ten years from when they receive an inmate's letter until the inmate is freed and vindicated. Currently, the organization receives about 1300 new requests every year.

"Some of the injustices that are being committed are blatant," says Anne, of what she has observed in her job thus far. "It seems strange that others wouldn't recognize and right things like police corruption and forced confessions in the earlier stages. I'm shocked that law-makers and enforcers don't take issue with putting innocent people to death or behind bars for life."

Although Anne got involved with the organization through a family friend, what she has seen so far has definitely peaked her interest. "One person, an average citizen, and even a young person, can make an impact and affect change in a faulty system. I am definitely encouraged to continue in this field," reflects Anne.

"The American system of criminal justice yields false results, inaccurate results, and sends people to prison. So often, the truth does not prevail. The system needs people like us to unearth the treasure of the truth," comments McCloskey when asked about the plight criminal justice in America today.

"The driving force of the American criminal justice system is to win, not to secure the truth," he adds. "That's the problem."

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