Opinion: Winston Scott was convicted of rape. He was exonerated decades later — and he’s not alone.
By Editorial Board March 11 at 7:58 PM WINSTON SCOTT was 19 years old in 1975 when he was accused of raping a Fairfax County woman. He said he didn’t do it. But he was convicted and served about five years of a 14-year prison sentence before being paroled in 1981. Albeit freed, he had lost the chance for the life he once dreamed of, and he still had to bear the burden of his conviction.
“Upon reviewing the totality of the evidence. . .,” the court wrote in a unanimous ruling, “. . . the Court finds that Scott has proved, by clear and convincing evidence . . . that no rational trier of fact would have found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” Key to Mr. Scott’s exoneration was new DNA testing that occurred because of an extraordinary effort in Virginia to systematically hunt for wrongfully convicted people. Mr.
Mr. Scott was convicted largely on the strength of identification from a woman who was raped by a stranger in her Reston apartment on July 24, 1975. He became a suspect when a sister of a man who knew Mr. Scott thought he resembled the police composite sketch of the attacker. Initial serology tests performed by what was then the Bureau of Forensic Science concluded that the perpetrator and Mr.
The discovery of defendants wrongly convicted in other cases spurred Virginia to undertake a massive retesting of hundreds of cases in which evidence had been retained at the state forensic lab. New testing of the sample of the victim’s jeans, which had semen from the attacker, proved Mr. Scott’s innocence. The Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project took up his case, prevailing over the opposition of the state attorney general’s office.
Mr. Scott’s vindication cannot restore the years he lost but — like other exonerations — provides the opportunity to learn from mistakes and make improvements in the system to prevent future miscarriages of justice.Jeffrey D. Stein: How to make an innocent client plead guiltyRush D. Holt and Jed S. Rakoff: The Justice Department is squandering progress in forensic science
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | I am sick of hearing about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from myself, talking about her'Just yesterday, I had to listen to an exhausting, 10-minute lecture from some idiot who would not shut up about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, only to discover that it was myself, talking to myself. This happens every day.' Petridishes has had enough!!!!!
Read more »
Elizabeth Warren: 'I am not a' Democratic SocialistDemocratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren said Saturday that she is not a Democratic Socialist, drawing a line between herself and her 2020 opponent Bernie Sanders whose views draw frequent comparisons between the two
Read more »
Tucker Carlson-founded website runs opinion piece comparing Fox News host to Winston Churchill'If you are unable to discern the levity, and tongue-in-cheek delivery of Carlson saying, “Anybody who answers ‘my trophy wife is my favorite possession is my hero,'” alongside recognizing the liberal roots of such behavior, then perhaps you are not cut out for public life and discourse,' Daily
Read more »
At SXSW, Beto O’Rourke still not saying whether he’s running; Klobuchar not interested in tech-bustingBeto O’Rourke attended the premiere of “Running with Beto” at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, with his wife and daughter. He repeated that he’s made up his mind about running for president and plans to let everyone know soon.
Read more »
Perspective | I’m in my 70s. My closest friends are decades younger than I am.Perspective: I’m in my 70s. My closest friends are decades younger than I am.
Read more »
Bernie Sanders signs DNC loyalty pledge: 'I am a member of the Democratic Party'The 2020 candidate has long resisted calls to officially align himself with the Democratic Party, preferring to remain a political independent.
Read more »
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: 'I Am As Powerful As A Man' And It Drives Critics 'Crazy'Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez knows the power she wields as a woman makes somepeople very uncomfortable ― and she's learning to use that to her advantage.'The idea that
Read more »
'I am a member of the Democratic Party': Sanders signs loyalty pledge for 2020 bidSen. Bernie Sanders signed a pledge to the Democratic National Committee that declared he was a Democrat and would serve as one if elected president.
Read more »