The Anatomy of a Coerced Murder Confession: Can Post-Conviction Relief Repair the Integrity of the Criminal Justice System?

Written By: Reid
Mar 12, 2004
On February 17, 2004 Reid president Joseph Buckley appeared at an all day symposium for the American Academy of Forensic Sciences that was called "The Anatomy of a Coerced Murder Confession: Can Post-Conviction Relief Repair the Integrity of the Criminal Justice System?" This panel looked at a case from Texas in which Christopher Ochoa confessed that he and his accomplice had raped and murdered the female manager of a Pizza Hut store. He was convicted and after serving 12 years in prison was exonerated when another person confessed and the DNA from the rape matched the new killer's DNA.
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