Wrongful execution

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Timothy_Evans_Grave

Wrongful execution refers to the execution of a person who has been convicted and sentenced to death for a crime they did not commit. This is a grave miscarriage of justice and highlights significant flaws in the criminal justice system. Wrongful executions are often discovered posthumously, through new evidence such as DNA testing, witness recantation, or confessions by the actual perpetrator.

Causes

Several factors can contribute to wrongful executions, including:

• False confessions
• Eyewitness misidentification
• Perjury or false testimony
• Inadequate legal defense
• Prosecutorial misconduct
• Police misconduct
• Faulty forensic evidence

Notable Cases

Some notable cases of wrongful execution include:

• Timothy Evans, who was wrongfully executed in the United Kingdom in 1950 for the murder of his daughter.
• Carlos DeLuna, executed in Texas in 1989, later found to have been innocent.
• Ruben Cantu, executed in Texas in 1993, with significant doubts about his guilt emerging posthumously.

Impact

The impact of wrongful executions is profound, affecting not only the individual and their family but also public trust in the judicial system. It raises ethical and moral questions about the use of the death penalty and has led to calls for its abolition in many jurisdictions.

Prevention

Efforts to prevent wrongful executions include:

• The use of DNA evidence to confirm guilt
• Improved standards for legal representation
• Enhanced procedures for eyewitness identification
• Greater transparency and accountability in prosecutorial conduct
• The establishment of innocence projects and other advocacy groups

Related Pages

• Capital punishment
• Miscarriage of justice
• Innocence Project
• Death row
• Exoneration
• Forensic science

See Also

• List of wrongful convictions in the United States
• List of exonerated death row inmates