County in Alabama to review convictions

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Death row and life sentence inmates who were sentenced in Jefferson County, Ala., could get a second look at their cases under a new initiative aimed at reviewing possible wrongful convictions.

Al.com reports that Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr and Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington are launching conviction review units to look at death penalty and life sentence cases where there may be evidence of innocence.

“It is often said that one innocent person behind bars is one too many, and there began a growing trend in the number of people identified as wrongfully convicted, but had already lost many years of their life in prison, separated from family and snatched of their dignity and hope,” Washington told the news organization.

“As prosecutors, we are ministers of justice. We seek justice and we must do justice at all time.”

The Conviction Integrity Unit (Bessemer Division) and the Conviction Review Unit (Birmingham Division) are the first of their kind in Jefferson County and in Alabama, the news site reported. Both units are supported by the Innocence Project in New York, Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery and fellow conviction integrity units in various states.

“It is important that applicants understand that both offices are reviewing only cases based upon new, credible evidence with an assertion of absolute innocence,” Washington said.

The units will begin their work in January.