The Faces of Wrongful Conviction

A Conference Examining Wrongful Convictions and the Administration of the Death Penalty in California

April 7 - April 9, 2006 -- Hosted by UCLA School of Law

The purpose of this conference is to illustrate both the problem of wrongful conviction and the unfair application of the death penalty in California and to mobilize for change. Since 1990, over 200 people have been wrongfully convicted and exonerated in California. This conference will facilitate the largest gathering of California’s exonerees ever. In addition, new research discussing the causes and prevalence of wrongful conviction in California and demonstrating systemic racial and geographic disparities in the application of the death penalty in this state will be presented.

This conference will offer a series of workshops on the causes of wrongful conviction (i.e., snitch witnesses, mistaken eyewitnesses, junk science, etc.), problems with the death penalty, and opportunities for action. Workshop topics will appeal to: (1) exonerees; (2) lawyers and law students; and (3) activists. Panel speakers will include: prosecutors, jurors, judges, the family members of murder victims, and the family members of people on death row. This conference will also incorporate film, art, drama, and a new book on California exonerees.

This sounds like a great "conference," and it has a truly impressive lineup of speakers. Check out the details here.