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Wrongful Conviction Day panel held at UNT
The UNT Department of Criminal Justice joined the House of Renewed Hope by hosting a Wrongful Conviction Day panel featuring judges, attorneys, and investigators who have worked on innocence cases, as well as four men who were wrongfully convicted.
DENTON, Texas - Every year on October 2, cities around the world honor those who have been wrongfully convicted and spread awareness through their stories.
This year, the UNT Department of Criminal Justice joined the non-profit House of Renewed Hope by hosting a Wrongful Conviction Day.
The event featured judges, attorneys and investigators who worked on actual innocence cases. Also featured were four men who spent years in prison for crimes they did not commit.
The former inmates wanted to connect with future judges, police and prosecutors.
Chris Scott served more than 13 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Dallas County exoneree Christopher Scott runs the House of Renewed Hope. He founded the nonprofit in 2009. He served more than 13 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. The nonprofit works to help free innocent men and women who remain in prison, as well as to prevent future wrongful convictions.
"My case had no DNA, mine was the first non-DNA case in Dallas County history. And Craig Watkins made it happen. I asked for a polygraph test when I got arrested. They denied it. But in order for me to get exonerated, I had to pass a polygraph test," said Scott.
"The crazy part about it was the witness did not even identify me. The cop did. The cop walked the lady up to me and said, ‘This is the man who killed your husband.’ It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, and they just ran with it, and I was convicted of it," he said.
The open discussion touched on changes within the judicial system and those still being pursued.
Scott says it is important to include all stakeholders, including judges.
"The judges are the high pinnacle of the courtroom, and the other people on that panel with me are the same people that helped me get exonerated."
"I don’t think any of us benefit from seeing someone wrongfully convicted of an offense, in fact, that’s a detriment," said Judge Stephanie Huff, 291st Dallas County Criminal Court.
Hon. Brandon Birmingham is a judge for the 292nd District Court in Dallas County. He says, "We have all of these exonerations because of him, because of his willingness to allow his prosecutors to retest cases and be open-minded."
Topics included the nationally recognized work of late, former District Attorney Craig Watkins. Watkins followed through on his mission to overturn wrongful convictions.
"I just think Craig Watkins was the key, may he rest in peace. He actually took my case to UTA law school and those interns helped me get out of prison," said Scott.
"The laws are changing," says Judge Huff. "Now prosecutors are being held to a standard where they could possibly be prosecuted themselves if they aren’t doing what’s right in these cases."
Student attendees, like Katherine Hanks, were also in attendance.
"I want to be a prosecutor, I want to be a DA. I want to be a judge and hopefully one day move up to Congress," said Hanks.
She says she has learned from the experience. "That’s what the judges, prosecutors and detectives also pushed on us today. Get as much information as you can, be well-rounded and see it from both sides."
The first International Wrongful Conviction Day was launched on October 2, 2014.
Scott was exonerated in 2009.