Innocence and the Death Penalty
Glossip v. Oklahoma
This long-running Oklahoma death-penalty case raises two issues:
1) Will the State of Oklahoma be permitted to execute Glossip, despite overwhelming evidence that he is innocent, and despite a confession by the State鈥檚 Attorney General that the state obtained his conviction by hiding crucial evidence impeaching its star witness?; and
2) Will the Court reaffirm its longstanding commitment to Due-Process-Clause precedent requiring the government to disclose favorable evidence in its possession to the accused and to correct false testimony introduced against the accused?
Status: Ongoing
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6 Innocence and the Death Penalty Cases
Texas
Feb 2015
Innocence and the Death Penalty
State of Texas v. Max Soffar
An innocent man is dying of terminal liver cancer on Texas's Death Row.
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Texas
Feb 2015
Innocence and the Death Penalty
State of Texas v. Max Soffar
An innocent man is dying of terminal liver cancer on Texas's Death Row.
Texas
Oct 2014
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
Manuel Velez v. The State of Texas
Manuel Velez, an innocent man, was released from a Texas prison today after almost nine years behind bars, four on death row. Rather than risk a new trial that could be plagued with the same problems that sent him to death row, Velez, an ACLU client, pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.
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Texas
Oct 2014
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
Manuel Velez v. The State of Texas
Manuel Velez, an innocent man, was released from a Texas prison today after almost nine years behind bars, four on death row. Rather than risk a new trial that could be plagued with the same problems that sent him to death row, Velez, an ACLU client, pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.
Louisiana
Oct 2012
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
Damon Thibodeaux: A Case of False Confession
Damon A. Thibodeaux was exonerated in 2012 after 15 years on death row in Louisiana. DNA and other evidence proved he did not commit the crime of raping and murdering his young cousin to which he originally confessed. His confession came at the end of nine hours of police interrogation; he was exhausted when it began and beyond confused by the time he issued a confession riddled with mistakes of fact, and containing only information he had received from the police or conjecture.
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Louisiana
Oct 2012
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
Damon Thibodeaux: A Case of False Confession
Damon A. Thibodeaux was exonerated in 2012 after 15 years on death row in Louisiana. DNA and other evidence proved he did not commit the crime of raping and murdering his young cousin to which he originally confessed. His confession came at the end of nine hours of police interrogation; he was exhausted when it began and beyond confused by the time he issued a confession riddled with mistakes of fact, and containing only information he had received from the police or conjecture.
Court Case
May 2008
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
State of North Carolina v. Jones
Innocent North Carolina Man Exonerated After 14 Years On Death Row
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Court Case
May 2008
Innocence and the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment
State of North Carolina v. Jones
Innocent North Carolina Man Exonerated After 14 Years On Death Row