Browsing: Wrongful Convictions

For our viewpoints series regular contributor Billy Sinclair delves into the Adnan Syed murder case in Maryland and highlights the systemic flaws within the American criminal justice system. Sinclair argues that the case illustrates a disturbing pattern of injustice, where issues such as prosecutorial misconduct, constitutional violations, and victims’ rights intersect. Sinclair suggests that the central concern becomes whether the Rule of Law was violated during Syed’s conviction, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional rights even when dealing with victims’ interests.

In 1990, Jeffrey Deskovic was wrongfully convicted for raping and murdering a classmate. That same year, the ‘Happy Face Killer’ murdered Taunja Bennett. Before the killer came forward, two others were convicted and sentenced for her killing. In both cases, the true perpetrators were able to kill additional victims while the justice system was derailed by flawed police work and false confessions.