Former DA admits he was wrong

Apology letter to the Shreveport Times here. I would love to hear more about what Cynthia and my other criminal law / apology scholars think about this development. Are we seeing more evidence in the mainstream media that the public might be open to talking more frankly about such travesties of justice and the need for reform?

2 thoughts on “Former DA admits he was wrong”

  1. Over the years I believe the public has shown that they are willing to bring travesties of justice to light and discuss how harmful these acts are to the people who suffer at the hands of the travesty and also to our society.
    Although these discussions are a necessary first step in addressing these wrongs, there seems to be less conversation of how to effectively bring about change so that others do not face the same fate. Reforming the system in some way seems to be needed. The prosecutor in this case discusses a few issues that can addressed such as inequitable resources/funds/experience for the defense and the prosecution and the burdensome requirement for finding racial discrimination in the selection of the jury.
    Although we can never obtain a completely unbiased and equal system based on the fact that we are human, it is important for us as a society to bring these issues to light and brainstorm potential areas that can be reformed. Without open discussion and apologies as detailed and open as this, other prosecutors may not think twice about the way they are handling their cases. Mr. Stroud’s apology allows other attorneys to reflect based on the detailed insight Stroud gives into his mindset, the goals he was trying to accomplish at the time, and the use of the system. Glenn Ford should not have had to live the life that he was sentenced to, but at the very least, with increased awareness of these injustices and more detailed explanations of how they occur, we can attempt to reform the areas which need reforming.

  2. This article personifies an interesting and tricky subject we’re covering in an Ethics for the Criminal Law Practitioner class: The roles, duties, and ethical obligations of lawyers in a death penalty case.
    Capital cases are expensive, long-winded, and particular in comparison to other types of cases. The detailed and extensive process provides some protections for defendants, but as this case shows, those protections are not always enough.
    Death penalty cases raise ethical and moral questions for attorneys to consider and be aware of when participating in such cases. The letter by this district attorney demonstrates the conflicts legal professionals face and an appropriate way to address mishandling those conflicts.
    It’s important for mistakes to be admitted whenever made in convictions, especially those resulting in the death penalty. Not only does this provide a sense of transparency in the system that allows the public to be more trusting of legal processes, but it also shows accountability by lawyers to assume responsibility for mistakes made in practice.

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