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Capital Punishment in Texas and DNA Testing

By Ron Chapman

Since the reimposition of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, 1,029 people have been executed (as of March 2007). Over one-third of those have been executed in Texas (385 as of March 8, 2007).  One has to wonder about this large number of executions in Texas in light of the fact that just one county in that entire state--Dallas County--has freed 15 wrongfully-convicted individuals since 2001 as a result of DNA testing.  (30 wrongfully-convicted people have been released statewide since 2001 due to DNA testing.)  In fact, just yesterday, a man who was convicted of rape in Dallas County 26 years ago was released from prison because of DNA testing.  If you would like to read more about this case in particular and DNA testing in Texas in general, you can do so by reading a story that appeared yesterday in the Associated Press...continue to full post

Full post as published by Palm Beach Criminal Defense Blog on January 04, 2008 (boomark / email).