From left: California Innocence Project Attorney Alex Simpson, NCIP exoneree George Souliotes and NCIP Legal Director Linda Starr pose outside the State Capitol after Souliotes testified in support of SB 1058.
California Senate Bill 1058, which would help exonerate innocent men and women who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes, is headed to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. Authored by Senator Mark Leno, the legislation would allow a judge to overturn a wrongful conviction if technological or forensic scientific advances have subsequently discredited false expert testimony that served as the primary basis for an incarcerated person’s conviction.
“Current law allows a judge to reconsider a conviction if a key eyewitness recants his or her testimony, but the same standard does not apply to expert witnesses who depend on new and emerging technologies to make their conclusions,” said Senator Leno. “This bill clarifies that false evidence provided by such an expert witness may be considered when proving a person’s innocence.”
SB 1058, sponsored by the Northern California Innocence Project and the California Innocence Project, is supported by numerous criminal justice and civil rights organizations and has received bipartisan support in both houses of the Legislature.
“Unfortunately, there are innocent people currently in prison based on inaccurate forensic evidence,” said Linda Starr, NCIP Legal Director. “SB 1058 is a common sense measure that gives courts the ability to weigh the most current, accurate and reliable forensic evidence in determining whether to overturn a potentially wrongful conviction. Our justice system and the wrongfully convicted deserve nothing less.”
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