A judge has overturned the conviction of a Missouri woman who was a psychiatric patient when she incriminated herself in a 1980 killing that her attorneys argue was actually committed by a now-discredited police officer.
Judge Ryan Horsman ruled late Friday that Sandra Hemme, who has spent 43 years behind bars, had established evidence of actual innocence and must be freed within 30 days unless prosecutors retry her. He said her trial counsel was ineffective and prosecutors failed to disclose evidence that would have helped her.
Her attorneys say this is the longest time a women has been been incarcerated for a wrongful conviction. They filed a motion seeking her immediate release.
This is one of the reasons why the death penalty is fucking bullshit.
Well sometimes it makes sense. It should really be for those psychos that clearly show signs of disregard for human life and would kill again if released.
40% of death penalty convictions are later exonerated.
If it was 1% you might have a case, but pretty much “clearly showing signs” is akin to flipping a coin right now.