Speaking of local news stories getting national attention this a.m., CNN follows in 60 Minutes' footsteps with a story about James Lee Woodard, who was released from prison on April 29 after serving 27 years for a murder he didn't commit. This week, CNN's actually run two pieces about Woodard and DNA exonerations in Dallas County: In one piece, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins talks about prosecuting the prosecutors who knowingly withheld evidence that led to innocent men receiving lengthy prison terms. Says Watkins: "When individuals intend to cause a person to be convicted for a crime they did not commit, that's an embarrassment for our profession."
In the other story, Woodard discusses the difficulty that comes with trying to reclaim 27 lost years -- down to obtaining ID, other than prison-issued identification. Notes reporter Ed Lavandera: "He can't open a bank account with a prison-issued I.D. He can't get a state I.D. card without a birth certificate or Social Security card. It's not easy starting over. Woodard calls it an 'adventure.'" --Robert Wilonsky
I have to say that Watkins' office is doing everything they can for those who have been cleared. I have friends who work for a company that does background checks for a large number of apartment complexes. The DA's office has contacted them so that the company can not in their records that the conviction is overturned. Apparently, the Dallas county criminal records can take months to be updated.
Posted at: May 16, 2008 10:50 AM