The truth matters.
Sometimes a procedurally fair trial can result in an innocent person’s conviction. Mistaken eyewitness identification and false confessions can lead to wrongful convictions. Prosecutors can fail to turn over evidence, or defense attorneys don’t provide effective counsel. In many cases, racism and implicit bias play a significant role in the wrongful conviction of innocent people of color.
Every case of wrongful conviction is a case of the true perpetrator escaping justice—and potentially going on to commit more crimes. Only when we know the truth about whether a person is innocent or guilty, can justice be realized.