NOTES AND NOTABLES
A weekly roundup of opinions and observations by the Daily Press Editorial Board
In the name of justice
One of the greatest tragedies any system of justice can produce is when a citizen is punished for a crime he or she did not commit. For this reason, we must always be vigilant in understanding there can be no expiration date for the truth.
In Virginia, in many cases, that expiration date is three weeks.
It’s colloquially known as “the 21-day rule,” and it says once that period has passed after a conviction, judges cannot consider new evidence that might exonerate. The only exception is DNA evidence.
It is among the strictest such state laws in the nation, and efforts to change this law have invariably failed.
State Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Galax, has proposed some reasonable reform. He wants to add exceptions for new scientific evidence other than
DNA, and a rule that all such requests would have to pass through a state appeals court to ensure they are legitimate.
This proposal — now sitting in the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice — deserves serious consideration. It has safeguards to prevent abuse, and it would serve as a potential pathway to correct injustices. If a person is doing time for a crime he or she did not commit, and if that person has scientific evidence that could prove innocence, it is not sufficient for the state to say, “Sorry, time’s up.”
Without borders
This week, Daily Press reporter Hugh Lessig told our readers about his recent visit to
Ukraine, along with photographer Jonathan Gruenke. It’s part of an ongoing exchange program we have had with newsprint journalists in that country, paying regular visits to each other in an effort to learn more about the profession we share and how it works in different cultures.
Our colleagues returned with stories about how the Ukrainian press — and the country’s military, and citizens in general — are learning to identify with the country’s hard-earned independence from Russia. It’s not something they can take for granted, especially with Russian President Vladimir Putin still attempting to exert its will on the Ukrainian people. We are inspired by the dedication of our new friends as they show their readers what a free press can mean to a citizenry.
Our exchanges happen through the Ukraine Media Partnership Program and through IREX, a nonprofit organization committed to global development and education. We learn much from our visitors and our hosts, and we hope they benefit as much as we do. The fact that we make new friends along the way is a wonderful bonus.
Civic engagement
The city of Newport News found a clever and fun way to seek input for its Denbigh-Warwick revitalization plan. Citizens were invited to the Denbigh Community Center one night last week and were given play money (to represent city resources) and small pom-poms (to represent volunteer support) — and they were asked to use these symbols to reflect their priorities.
The event drew a good turnout, and citizens also had the opportunity to express opinions on the potential relocation or expansion of city buildings in Denbigh.
One of the linchpins of this Editorial Board’s philosophy is that citizens should be more involved in their community’s business, and that city officials must make it as convenient and inviting as possible for their constituents to do so. The event in Denbigh was a simple but innovative way to enhance citizen involvement.
This is what we like to see: Public officials seeking input, and citizens providing it.
Roses and thorns
Each week, the Daily Press Editorial Board offers a list of area citizens or institutions deserving of “roses” or “thorns,” when applicable. This week’s roses go to:
The bongos at the Norfolk Zoo. Jesi, a 3-yearold bongo, had a calf earlier this month in a birth that required a C-section. She died of complications a short time later, but her baby is being cared for by a 12-year-old bongo at the zoo who also recently gave birth. Even in a zoo, it takes a village.