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The definition of a miscarriage of justice is strictly limited to the wrongful conviction and punishment of an individual for a crime they did not commit.
Answer: False
Explanation: The text identifies a miscarriage of justice as an inequitable outcome within a criminal or civil legal proceeding, most significantly encompassing the wrongful conviction and subsequent punishment of an individual for an offense they did not perpetrate. This phenomenon is frequently termed a wrongful conviction.
The term 'failure of justice' is considered synonymous with 'wrongful conviction' and is exclusively applied to broader instances of legal proceeding unfairness.
Answer: False
Explanation: Beyond the term 'miscarriage of justice,' the concepts of 'wrongful conviction' and 'failure of justice' are employed to describe situations resulting in inequitable legal outcomes, not exclusively broader unfairness.
What is the principal definition of a miscarriage of justice as delineated in the provided text?
Answer: An unfair outcome in a legal proceeding, most notably a wrongful conviction.
Explanation: The text defines a miscarriage of justice as an inequitable outcome in a legal proceeding, with wrongful conviction being a primary example.
A wrongful conviction can be overturned exclusively upon the emergence of new DNA evidence that definitively proves innocence.
Answer: False
Explanation: A wrongful conviction may be overturned if novel evidence emerges that conclusively establishes the convicted individual's innocence, or if prosecutorial or police misconduct during the original trial is uncovered.
The Innocence Project has predominantly utilized advanced DNA evidence to facilitate the overturning of convictions, particularly in cases pertaining to fraud and theft.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Innocence Project has predominantly utilized advanced DNA evidence to facilitate the overturning of convictions, primarily in cases of murder and rape, not fraud and theft.
DNA testing constitutes a prevalent element in the majority of criminal cases that pursue exoneration.
Answer: False
Explanation: DNA testing is employed in approximately 5% to 10% of all criminal cases, indicating that many potential wrongful convictions may go unidentified due to the lack of available DNA evidence for exoneration.
Self-reporting by incarcerated individuals serves as a methodology for estimating the prevalence of wrongful convictions, especially in cases lacking available DNA evidence.
Answer: True
Explanation: Beyond the analysis of exonerations, a supplementary method for estimating the incidence of wrongful convictions involves self-reporting by prisoners, wherein researchers solicit information regarding confessions to crimes they did not commit. This approach permits the examination of all crime categories, irrespective of DNA evidence availability.
Studies conducted in Iceland consistently reported exceedingly low rates of false confessions, falling below 5%.
Answer: False
Explanation: Two Icelandic studies, conducted a decade apart, identified rates of false confession at 12.2% and 24.4%, respectively. These figures are considered indicative of miscarriages of justice, as false confessions frequently precipitate wrongful convictions.
A 2021 study conducted in Scotland indicated that more than half of the surveyed inmates reported having made false confessions.
Answer: False
Explanation: A 2021 study conducted within a specific Scottish prison revealed that 33.4% of inmates reported having made false confessions, not more than half.
Academics generally identify precisely three primary factors contributing to miscarriages of justice.
Answer: False
Explanation: The text identifies six primary factors contributing to miscarriages of justice, not three. These include eyewitness misidentification, faulty forensic analysis, false confessions, perjury, official misconduct, and ineffective assistance of counsel.
Eyewitness misidentification is identified as a contributing factor in approximately 70% of wrongful convictions.
Answer: True
Explanation: Eyewitness identifications are recognized as notoriously unreliable and are a contributing factor in approximately 70% of wrongful convictions.
Psychological investigations demonstrate that police lineup procedures exert no significant influence on an eyewitness's recollection of a suspect.
Answer: False
Explanation: Psychological studies indicate that the methodology employed in conducting police lineups can alter an eyewitness's memory of a suspect, frequently leading to misidentification.
The cross-race effect posits that witnesses exhibit equal accuracy when identifying suspects from any ethnic group.
Answer: False
Explanation: The cross-race effect describes the phenomenon where witnesses experience diminished accuracy in identifying individuals from ethnic groups different from their own, compared to identifying individuals from their own group.
Researcher Elizabeth Loftus determined that eyewitnesses' confidence in their testimony exhibits a direct correlation with its accuracy.
Answer: False
Explanation: Elizabeth Loftus, a prominent researcher in memory studies, observed that memory is inherently unreliable, to the extent that a witness can testify with considerable confidence and persuasiveness regarding a detail that is entirely fabricated.
Evidence contamination is possible at any phase, from initial collection through storage, provided that appropriate protocols are not meticulously adhered to.
Answer: True
Explanation: Evidence contamination can transpire during any stage of its handling, including collection, packaging, transportation, analysis, or storage, if proper protocols are not rigorously observed. Such contamination may introduce extraneous materials or alter existing evidence, potentially precipitating a miscarriage of justice.
According to the Innocence Project, faulty forensic analysis is associated with less than 10% of wrongful convictions.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Innocence Project reports that 44% of wrongful convictions are attributable to faulty forensic analysis, occurring when experts misrepresent the validity or significance of scientific evidence.
Misrepresentations within forensic analysis have been documented exclusively within serological analysis.
Answer: False
Explanation: Misrepresentations have been documented across various forensic disciplines, including serological analysis, microscopic hair comparison, bite mark analysis, shoe print analysis, soil and fiber analysis, and fingerprint analysis.
The confidence level expressed by expert witnesses has a minimal impact on jury deliberations.
Answer: False
Explanation: Overly confident testimony from expert witnesses can significantly influence jurors' perceptions of credibility and persuasiveness. Jurors may infer truthfulness from confidence, potentially leading to undue reliance on the expert's opinion.
Pathologist Charles Smith was exonerated of all wrongdoing subsequent to his testimony contributing to wrongful convictions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Pathologist Charles Smith was found to have exaggerated his expertise and provided misleading testimony, which contributed to the wrongful convictions of thirteen women. An inquiry concluded that he 'actively misled' superiors and misrepresented his qualifications during trials.
False confessions contribute to approximately 25% of wrongful convictions, with a notable prevalence in serious criminal cases.
Answer: True
Explanation: According to the Innocence Project, false confessions are a contributing factor in approximately 25% of wrongful convictions, particularly in murder and rape cases.
Individuals exhibiting intellectual impairments or mental illness are less susceptible to making false confessions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Individuals who are intellectually impaired, suffer from mental illness, or are particularly young—especially when experiencing stress, fatigue, or trauma—are considered highly vulnerable to making false confessions during police interrogations.
The Reid Technique is an interrogation methodology recognized for its non-confrontational approach and superior accuracy.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Reid Technique, a mid-20th century strategy, relies on deception, coercion, and aggressive confrontation, and is noted for yielding fewer accurate confessions and a higher incidence of false confessions compared to less confrontational methods.
Perjury or false accusations were implicated in over half of the cases resulting in exoneration, as documented by the National Registry of Exonerations.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Registry of Exonerations reports that 57% of cases involving eventual exoneration included instances of perjury or false accusations.
Witnesses invariably refrain from lying during investigations, providing only unintentionally inaccurate information.
Answer: False
Explanation: Witnesses may provide false testimony due to various motivations, including personal animosity towards the defendant, the pursuit of financial compensation, the negotiation of deals with prosecutors or police, or an attempt to deflect attention from their own potential involvement in a crime.
Prosecutorial misconduct encompasses actions such as the concealment of exculpatory evidence or the failure to disclose such evidence to the defense.
Answer: True
Explanation: Forms of prosecutorial misconduct that can precipitate miscarriages of justice include the concealment or destruction of exculpatory evidence, the failure to disclose such evidence to the defense, the non-disclosure of witness payments, and the planting of incriminating evidence.
Noble cause corruption transpires when officers deviate from established rules, believing the ultimate objective justifies the means, such as securing the conviction of a suspect they deem guilty.
Answer: True
Explanation: Noble cause corruption occurs when officers deviate from rules, believing the objective of convicting a guilty suspect justifies their actions, such as planting evidence.
The West Midlands Serious Crime Squad in the United Kingdom was disbanded owing to its practice of fabricating evidence.
Answer: True
Explanation: In the early 1990s, the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad gained notoriety for fabricating evidence to secure convictions and was ultimately disbanded in 1989 due to these illicit practices.
Official misconduct was identified as a contributing factor in over half of all wrongful convictions in the U.S., according to a 2020 report.
Answer: True
Explanation: A 2020 report found official misconduct was a factor in 54% of wrongful convictions, particularly when it led directly to conviction via false or concealed evidence.
Primary causes of wrongful convictions in the U.S. encompass unreliable informants, flawed eyewitness identification, and official misconduct.
Answer: True
Explanation: Leading causes identified include unreliable informants, flawed eyewitness identification, faulty forensic analysis, official misconduct, perjury, and ineffective assistance of counsel.
Judge Jed S. Rakoff opines that forensic techniques are invariably presented with accurate and reliable validity in judicial proceedings.
Answer: False
Explanation: Judge Rakoff noted that forensic techniques are often presented with greater validity and reliability than they possess, advocating for an independent institute to set scientific standards.
Which organization is prominently featured for its efforts in overturning convictions, predominantly through the utilization of DNA evidence in serious criminal cases?
Answer: The Innocence Project
Explanation: The Innocence Project is highlighted for its significant role in overturning convictions, primarily employing advanced DNA evidence in serious criminal cases.
What proportion of criminal cases typically involve DNA testing for exoneration purposes?
Answer: Approximately 5% to 10%
Explanation: DNA testing is employed in approximately 5% to 10% of all criminal cases, indicating that many potential wrongful convictions may go unidentified due to the lack of available DNA evidence for exoneration.
Which of the following is NOT enumerated among the six primary factors contributing to miscarriages of justice?
Answer: Jury nullification
Explanation: The text enumerates six primary factors: eyewitness misidentification, faulty forensic analysis, false confessions from vulnerable suspects, perjury and lies by witnesses, official misconduct, and ineffective assistance of counsel. Jury nullification is not listed.
What proportion of wrongful convictions are attributed to unreliable eyewitness testimony?
Answer: Approximately 70%
Explanation: Eyewitness identifications are recognized as notoriously unreliable and are a contributing factor in approximately 70% of wrongful convictions.
What is the 'cross-race effect' within the context of eyewitness identification?
Answer: The difficulty witnesses have in identifying suspects from different ethnic groups compared to their own.
Explanation: The cross-race effect describes the phenomenon where witnesses experience diminished accuracy in identifying individuals from ethnic groups different from their own, compared to identifying individuals from their own group.
According to the Innocence Project, what percentage of wrongful convictions are associated with faulty forensic analysis?
Answer: Approximately 44%
Explanation: The Innocence Project reports that 44% of wrongful convictions are attributable to faulty forensic analysis, occurring when experts misrepresent the validity or significance of scientific evidence.
Which interrogation technique is characterized by its reliance on deception, coercion, and aggressive confrontation, potentially leading to a higher incidence of false confessions?
Answer: The Reid Technique
Explanation: The Reid Technique, a mid-20th century strategy, relies on deception, coercion, and aggressive confrontation, and is noted for yielding fewer accurate confessions and a higher incidence of false confessions compared to less confrontational methods.
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, what percentage of exoneration cases involved perjury or false accusations?
Answer: Approximately 57%
Explanation: The National Registry of Exonerations reports that 57% of cases involving eventual exoneration included instances of perjury or false accusations.
Which of the following represents a common form of prosecutorial misconduct cited in the text?
Answer: Failing to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense.
Explanation: Prosecutorial misconduct includes concealing or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence, not revealing witness payments, and planting incriminating evidence.
What does 'noble cause corruption' signify within law enforcement contexts?
Answer: Officers bending rules or planting evidence because they believe the end (convicting a guilty suspect) justifies the means.
Explanation: Noble cause corruption occurs when officers deviate from rules, believing the objective of convicting a guilty suspect justifies their actions, such as planting evidence.
According to a 2020 report, what percentage of wrongful convictions in the U.S. implicated official misconduct?
Answer: Approximately 54%
Explanation: A 2020 report found official misconduct was a factor in 54% of wrongful convictions, particularly when it led directly to conviction via false or concealed evidence.
What perspective did Judge Jed S. Rakoff articulate concerning forensic techniques in the criminal justice system?
Answer: Forensic techniques are often presented with more validity and reliability than they actually possess.
Explanation: Judge Rakoff noted that forensic techniques are often presented with greater validity and reliability than they possess, advocating for an independent institute to set scientific standards.
Academic investigations indicate that a substantial proportion of incarcerated individuals in the United States are innocent, with estimates ranging between 2.3% and 5%.
Answer: True
Explanation: Academic research, as cited by the Innocence Project, posits that between 2.3% and 5% of all individuals currently incarcerated within the United States are innocent.
A 2017 study conducted in Virginia identified a wrongful conviction rate of 11.6% within cases originating from the 1970s and 1980s.
Answer: True
Explanation: A 2017 study analyzing convictions in Virginia during the 1970s and 1980s, cross-referenced with subsequent DNA analysis, estimated the incidence of wrongful conviction to be as high as 11.6%.
A 2014 study provided a conservative estimate suggesting that less than 1% of inmates on death row in the U.S. are innocent.
Answer: False
Explanation: A 2014 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences conservatively estimated that 4.1% of inmates awaiting execution on death row in the United States are innocent.
Estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 individuals in the United States may be wrongfully convicted of serious offenses annually.
Answer: True
Explanation: It is estimated that up to 10,000 individuals in the United States might be wrongfully convicted of serious crimes each year.
Confirmation bias aids investigators in maintaining objectivity by promoting the equal consideration of all evidence.
Answer: False
Explanation: Confirmation bias influences investigators to selectively seek and interpret information that corroborates their pre-existing beliefs about a suspect's guilt, often leading to the disregard or downplaying of contradictory evidence.
Plea bargaining is broadly regarded as a fair process that seldom contributes to wrongful convictions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Plea bargaining can contribute to miscarriages of justice when innocent defendants, under pressure or facing severe penalties if convicted at trial, plead guilty to crimes they did not commit.
Confirmation bias was a contributing factor in Dutch cases, such as the Schiedammerpark murder, leading law enforcement to disregard critical DNA evidence.
Answer: True
Explanation: In cases such as the Schiedammerpark murder, confirmation bias led police to misinterpret and disregard crucial scientific evidence, particularly DNA findings. Similar issues related to confirmation bias and the misuse of complex scientific evidence were identified in other Dutch cases, such as that of Lucia de Berk.
A 2012 report indicated that exonerations in the U.S. substantially outnumbered wrongful convictions.
Answer: False
Explanation: A 2012 report by the National Registry of Exonerations stated that wrongful convictions significantly outnumbered exonerations, despite the relatively small number of reported exonerations at the time.
The Innocence Project estimates that approximately 1% of U.S. prisoners are innocent, potentially numbering around 20,000 individuals.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Innocence Project estimates approximately 1% of U.S. prisoners are innocent, which, given the total incarcerated population, could amount to around 20,000 individuals.
African Americans exhibit a significantly lower likelihood of being falsely convicted compared to White Americans, notwithstanding their representation as a smaller demographic segment.
Answer: False
Explanation: African Americans are seven times more likely to be falsely convicted than White Americans, indicating the influence of systemic racism on wrongful convictions.
According to cited academic studies, what is the estimated range for innocent prisoners currently incarcerated within the United States?
Answer: 2.3% to 5%
Explanation: Academic research indicates that between 2.3% and 5% of all individuals currently incarcerated in the United States are innocent.
In what manner can plea bargaining potentially precipitate wrongful convictions?
Answer: Innocent defendants may plead guilty under pressure to avoid harsher penalties if convicted at trial.
Explanation: Plea bargaining can lead to wrongful convictions when innocent defendants, under pressure or facing severe penalties if convicted at trial, plead guilty to crimes they did not commit.
How do race and systemic racism influence wrongful convictions in the U.S., according to the National Registry of Exonerations?
Answer: African Americans are seven times more likely to be falsely convicted compared to White Americans.
Explanation: African Americans, despite being 13.6% of the population, account for 53% of exonerations, indicating they are seven times more likely to be falsely convicted than White Americans, highlighting systemic racism.
The risk of executing an innocent individual constitutes a primary argument against capital punishment, owing to the irreversible nature of a miscarriage of justice in such cases.
Answer: True
Explanation: The irreversibility of executing an innocent person means any miscarriage of justice in capital cases is final. This makes the death penalty particularly contentious when wrongful convictions are a possibility.
Wrongful convictions seldom impact public perceptions of crime, as the populace relies predominantly on official statistics.
Answer: False
Explanation: When a miscarriage of justice is brought to light, it can shape the public's understanding of crime, leading to inaccurate beliefs about its nature, prevalence, or typical perpetrators, as societal comprehension of crime is often influenced by such high-profile cases.
The mass media's emphasis on sensational crimes can precipitate distorted public perceptions regarding crime prevalence and perpetrators.
Answer: True
Explanation: Mass media can significantly influence public perception by disproportionately representing certain demographic groups as criminals or victims and by focusing on sensational or unusual crimes. This can affect public fear of crime, beliefs about its etiology, and support for various crime control strategies.
Individuals subjected to wrongful sanctions experience beneficial psychological effects, including augmented pro-social behavior.
Answer: False
Explanation: Even in the absence of public awareness, individuals subjected to wrongful sanctions may endure negative psychological impacts, such as a reduction in pro-social behavior, which can have detrimental effects on both the individual and the broader community.
When the actual perpetrator of a crime remains at liberty due to a wrongful conviction, they are unlikely to perpetrate further offenses.
Answer: False
Explanation: When the true perpetrator is not apprehended because an innocent person was wrongfully convicted, the perpetrator remains free and may commit additional crimes. One study estimates that 'wrong-person' wrongful convictions in the U.S. could result in over 41,000 additional crimes annually.
Why is the risk of miscarriage of justice frequently cited as a rationale against the imposition of the death penalty?
Answer: Executing an innocent person is an irreversible miscarriage of justice.
Explanation: The risk of executing an innocent person means any miscarriage of justice in capital cases is irreversible, making the death penalty contentious when wrongful convictions are possible.
What is a potential consequence when the actual perpetrator of a crime remains at liberty due to a wrongful conviction?
Answer: The perpetrator remains free and may commit additional crimes.
Explanation: When the true perpetrator is not apprehended due to a wrongful conviction, they remain free and may commit further crimes. One study estimates 'wrong-person' wrongful convictions could lead to over 41,000 additional crimes annually in the U.S.
What is the estimated number of additional crimes potentially committed annually in the U.S. as a consequence of 'wrong-person' wrongful convictions?
Answer: Around 41,000
Explanation: A study estimates that 'wrong-person' wrongful convictions in the U.S. could lead to over 41,000 additional crimes annually.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) fails to address compensation for wrongful convictions.
Answer: False
Explanation: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), along with the European Convention on Human Rights (Protocol No. 7) and the American Convention on Human Rights, provides for compensation in cases of miscarriage of justice.
A consensus exists that wrongfully convicted individuals merit substantial compensation; however, certain technicalities may occasionally preclude its award.
Answer: True
Explanation: There is a broad societal agreement that individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and served custodial sentences are entitled to significant compensation. Nevertheless, compensation may not be awarded if a conviction was overturned solely on procedural technicalities rather than demonstrable proof of innocence.
Tort liability represents one of the four principal approaches employed for compensation subsequent to a miscarriage of justice.
Answer: True
Explanation: The four primary approaches to compensation following a miscarriage of justice are: tort liability (within common law systems), claims for breaches of constitutional or human rights, statutory relief via specific legislation, and non-statutory ex-gratia schemes administered by governmental entities.
The United States and the United Kingdom exemplify nations that have instituted statutory compensation mechanisms for wrongful convictions.
Answer: True
Explanation: The United States and the United Kingdom are noted as jurisdictions that have implemented statutory schemes to provide compensation for wrongful convictions.
Compensation statutes pertaining to wrongful convictions exhibit uniformity across all U.S. states.
Answer: False
Explanation: Compensation laws for wrongful convictions vary significantly across U.S. states; some lack such laws, while others differ widely in eligibility and award amounts.
The potential for miscarriage of justice influences appellate courts to rectify 'plain errors' or 'manifest injustices'.
Answer: True
Explanation: The potential for a miscarriage of justice frequently guides appellate courts in exercising their discretion to correct 'plain errors' or 'manifest injustices' that would otherwise persist if the conviction were left unaddressed.
The Spanish Constitution fails to guarantee compensation for individuals who have experienced a miscarriage of justice.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Constitution of Spain explicitly ensures compensation for individuals who have experienced a miscarriage of justice, including those who have been acquitted of charges or whose cases have been dismissed.
In the United Kingdom, statutory compensation for wrongful incarceration is capped at £1,000,000, irrespective of the duration of imprisonment.
Answer: False
Explanation: In the UK, statutory compensation for wrongful incarceration is capped at £1,000,000 for individuals imprisoned for over ten years and £500,000 for shorter periods. Previously, deductions for living costs were applied but have since been rescinded.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in the United Kingdom reviews cases exclusively if compelling new evidence of innocence or definitive proof of judicial error is presented.
Answer: True
Explanation: The CCRC in the UK examines potential miscarriages of justice, requiring compelling new evidence of innocence or proof of legal error to review a case.
Which international legal instrument is cited as providing for compensation in instances of miscarriage of justice?
Answer: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
Explanation: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), along with the European Convention on Human Rights (Protocol No. 7) and the American Convention on Human Rights, provides for compensation in cases of miscarriage of justice.
What constitutes a significant divergence in compensation laws for wrongful convictions among U.S. states?
Answer: Some states lack compensation laws, while others vary widely in eligibility and amounts.
Explanation: Compensation laws for wrongful convictions vary significantly across U.S. states; some lack such laws, while others differ widely in eligibility and award amounts.
What is the principal function of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in the UK?
Answer: To review potential miscarriages of justice based on new evidence or legal errors.
Explanation: The CCRC in the UK examines potential miscarriages of justice, requiring compelling new evidence of innocence or proof of legal error to review a case.
Which of the following nations is NOT enumerated as having statutory compensation schemes for wrongful convictions?
Answer: Australia
Explanation: The text explicitly mentions the United States and the United Kingdom as countries with statutory compensation schemes. Canada is implied through case studies, but Australia is not mentioned in this context.
In the Steven Truscott case in Canada, his conviction was sustained, and he received no remuneration.
Answer: False
Explanation: Steven Truscott, convicted of murder at age 14, had his conviction overturned in 2007 by the Ontario Court of Appeal following a re-examination of forensic evidence. He was subsequently awarded $6.5 million in compensation by the Ontario government.
The case of Donald Marshall Jr. in Canada underscored issues of wrongful conviction and precipitated reforms in evidence disclosure protocols.
Answer: True
Explanation: Donald Marshall Jr.'s case became a symbol of wrongful conviction and Indigenous justice in Canada, leading to reforms such as amendments to the Canada Evidence Act regarding evidence disclosure.
David Milgaard endured 23 years of imprisonment for a wrongful conviction in Canada and was subsequently awarded $10 million in compensation.
Answer: True
Explanation: David Milgaard was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder and spent 23 years in prison before his release. He later received $10 million in compensation from the Saskatchewan government.
The Guy Paul Morin case in Canada was predominantly characterized by unreliable eyewitness testimony, flawed scientific analysis, and the suppression of evidence.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Guy Paul Morin case was marked by numerous procedural errors, including unreliable eyewitness testimony, police tunnel vision, flawed scientific analysis, and the suppression of evidence, all of which contributed to his wrongful conviction.
In the Zhao Zuohai case in China, the purported victim resurfaced, resulting in Zhao's release after a decade of incarceration for a crime he did not commit.
Answer: True
Explanation: Zhao Zuohai served 10 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. His release occurred when the alleged victim reappeared; Zhao reported experiencing police torture to extract a confession.
Enzo Tortora, an Italian television personality, was ultimately acquitted of all charges on appeal following his initial sentencing.
Answer: True
Explanation: Enzo Tortora, a prominent television host, was arrested in 1983 and accused of Camorra membership and drug trafficking, receiving a ten-year sentence in 1985. However, he was acquitted of all charges on appeal in 1986.
The wrongful conviction and execution of Timothy Evans in the United Kingdom significantly contributed to the eventual abolition of capital punishment for murder.
Answer: True
Explanation: The wrongful conviction and execution of Timothy Evans for a murder committed by his neighbor was a pivotal case that substantially contributed to the eventual abolition of capital punishment for murder in the United Kingdom.
The Birmingham Six were denied parole due to their refusal to sign documents admitting guilt, notwithstanding their established innocence.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Birmingham Six faced parole challenges as the system required convicted individuals to sign a declaration of guilt; their refusal, due to innocence, led to denial.
The Trial of Oscar Slater in Scotland precipitated the enactment of legislation that expanded the jurisdiction of the Scottish Court of Criminal Appeal.
Answer: True
Explanation: The miscarriage of justice surrounding the Trial of Oscar Slater influenced the passage of the Criminal Appeal (Scotland) Act 1927, which broadened the jurisdiction of the Scottish Court of Criminal Appeal.
Glynn Simmons holds the record for the longest duration of service by an exoneree in American history, following his wrongful conviction.
Answer: True
Explanation: Glynn Simmons was released in 2023 after serving 48 years following a wrongful conviction. His period of imprisonment is believed to be the longest ever served by an exoneree in American history.
In the Canadian case of Donald Marshall Jr., what was a significant outcome?
Answer: He became a symbol of wrongful conviction and led to reforms.
Explanation: Donald Marshall Jr.'s case became a symbol of wrongful conviction and Indigenous justice in Canada, leading to reforms such as amendments to the Canada Evidence Act regarding evidence disclosure.
What challenge did the Birmingham Six encounter concerning parole in the UK?
Answer: They refused to sign documents admitting guilt, which was required for parole.
Explanation: The Birmingham Six faced parole challenges as the system required convicted individuals to sign a declaration of guilt; their refusal, due to innocence, led to denial.