KINGSTON – Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright has formed the Conviction Integrity Unit, an initiative designed to investigate claims of actual innocence by those who have been convicted of a crime.
“The criminal justice system is a system made up of people and, despite countless safeguards, checks and balances, is susceptible to the inherent flaws that exist within all human beings. This office has a duty to provide every safeguard to assure that only the guilty suffer the consequences of a criminal conviction. It is pursuant to this legal, ethical and moral mandate that we have created the Conviction Integrity Unit,” said Carnright.
This unit will be comprised of law enforcement leaders, members of the criminal defense bar, and a community representative. Together this committee will investigate any convictions that raise a genuine issue of actual innocence. Where such a case presents, it will be re-evaluated with every benefit of modern science and technology, said Carnright.
The Conviction Integrity Unit will operate by accepting submissions and referrals from the legal community and directly from those who contend they are actually innocent of a crime for which they have been convicted.
The submission will be evaluated by the unit coordinator who will answer directly to the district attorney and the committee as a whole. If a legitimate issue of innocence is presented, the case will be referred to the entire committee for a thorough evaluation. If recommended, a detailed plan of action will be developed which could include re-opening the case, reinvestigating the entire matter, and submitting evidence for forensic testing.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler created the same program a few years ago and he says it has been a very effective tool for his office.
