Member-only story

Broken Witness To The Execution: An Unflinching Investigation Into The Twisted Justice System

Douglas Adams

·15.8k Followers· Follow

Published in Broken A Witness To The Execution

6 min read · 3 weeks before

1k View Claps

65 Respond

Save

Listen

Broken - A Witness to the Execution

by Andrew Young

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	412 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

In Broken Witness To The Execution, David Protess, a nationally recognized expert on wrongful convictions, exposes the flaws in the American justice system and tells the harrowing story of one man's fight for justice.

Protess's book is based on his own investigation into the case of Michael Morton, who was wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife in 1986. Morton spent 25 years on death row before DNA evidence finally exonerated him in 2011.

Protess's book is a chilling account of the miscarriage of justice that led to Morton's wrongful conviction. He shows how Morton was convicted on the basis of false testimony, prosecutorial misconduct, and a flawed investigation.

Protess also examines the broader problem of wrongful convictions in the United States. He argues that the American justice system is stacked against the poor and the marginalized, and that innocent people are too often convicted of crimes they did not commit.

Broken Witness To The Execution is a powerful indictment of the American justice system. It is a must-read for anyone who cares about justice and the rule of law.

The Case of Michael Morton

Michael Morton was a 27-year-old father of three when his wife, Christine, was found murdered in their home in 1986. Morton was immediately arrested and charged with her murder.

The prosecution's case against Morton was based on a number of factors, including a bloody fingerprint found on a shower curtain in the bathroom where Christine Morton was killed. The prosecution also presented testimony from several witnesses who claimed to have seen Morton arguing with his wife on the night of her murder.

Morton's defense team argued that the prosecution's case was based on circumstantial evidence and that there was no physical evidence linking Morton to the murder. They also pointed to the fact that Morton had no history of violence and that he loved his wife.

Despite the defense's arguments, Morton was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He spent the next 25 years on death row.

In 2011, DNA evidence finally exonerated Morton. The DNA evidence showed that the bloody fingerprint found on the shower curtain did not belong to Morton. It also showed that the semen found on Christine Morton's body belonged to another man.

Morton was released from prison in 2011 after 25 years of wrongful imprisonment. He is now a free man, but the scars of his wrongful conviction remain.

The Flaws in the American Justice System

Protess's book Broken Witness To The Execution exposes the flaws in the American justice system that led to Michael Morton's wrongful conviction. These flaws include:

False testimony: False testimony is a major problem in the American justice system. In Morton's case, the prosecution's case was based on the testimony of several witnesses who later recanted their stories.
Prosecutorial misconduct: Prosecutorial misconduct is another major problem in the American justice system. In Morton's case, the prosecutor withheld evidence from the defense and made false statements to the jury.
Flawed investigations: Flawed investigations are also a major problem in the American justice system. In Morton's case, the investigation was conducted by a small-town police department that lacked the resources to conduct a thorough investigation.

These flaws in the American justice system are not isolated incidents. They are systemic problems that lead to the wrongful conviction of innocent people.

The Problem of Wrongful Convictions

Wrongful convictions are a serious problem in the United States. According to the Innocence Project, over 375 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973. The vast majority of these exonerations were based on DNA evidence.

The problem of wrongful convictions is particularly acute for the poor and the marginalized. People of color are overrepresented on death row and are more likely to be wrongfully convicted than white people.

The American justice system is stacked against the poor and the marginalized. They are less likely to have access to quality legal representation and are more likely to be convicted of crimes they did not commit.

The Need for Reform

The American justice system is in need of reform. We need to address the flaws that led to the wrongful conviction of Michael Morton and other innocent people.

Some of the reforms that are needed include:

Eliminating false testimony: We need to find ways to eliminate false testimony from the courtroom. This could include using videotaped depositions and requiring witnesses to swear an oath before testifying.
Ending prosecutorial misconduct: We need to hold prosecutors accountable for misconduct. This could include creating a national registry of prosecutors who have been disciplined for misconduct and increasing the penalties for prosecutorial misconduct.
Reforming investigations: We need to reform the way that investigations are conducted. This could include requiring all investigations to be conducted by independent agencies and providing more resources to law enforcement agencies.

These are just a few of the reforms that are needed to fix the American justice system. We need to work together to create a justice system that is fair and just for all.

Broken Witness To The Execution is a powerful indictment of the American justice system. It is a must-read for anyone who cares about justice and the rule of law.

We need to work together to reform the American justice system. We need to eliminate false testimony, end prosecutorial misconduct, and reform investigations.

We need to create a justice system that is fair and just for all.

Broken - A Witness to the Execution

by Andrew Young

5 out of 5