Corrupt DA Unashamed Of Wrongful Death Row Convictions

"Last week, two men were released after spending 30 years in prison in North Carolina. They were falsely convicted of rape and murder in 1983. They were both exonerated by DNA evidence. The man who prosecuted them is, proudly, no pussy.

Henry Lee McCollum (pictured) and Leon Brown are both mentally disabled. It now appears that their confessions to the crime were coerced, and the details in their confessions the product of prompting by the police. McCollum was sent to death row; Brown got a life sentence. Their exoneration after 30 years marks the end of a horrific miscarriage of justice.

The New York Times Richard Oppel Jr. paid a visit to North Carolina to profile Joe Freeman Britt, the prosecutor who sent both of the innocent men to prison. Britt was a notoriously harsh D.A. who sent 40 people to death row during the course of his career. He is also a living symbol of the gross, almost medieval nature of the justice system in small Southern counties. The entire profile draws a picture of a man with awful injustices on his hands, but no regrets. Two quotes will suffice to drive home the point. First, Britt's reply to being told that his successor, a relative, had characterized him as a "bully" during his time as prosecutor.” *

A disgusting story. The police and prosecutor who put these two men behind bars should be sued for everything they are worth. They knew they had the wrong men but did everything in their power to put them on death row anyway. But worst of all, which is saying a lot, the prosecutor, after hearing the men were released, says he would still keep them in prison, on death row.

What a piece of garbage. Thank god for the karma system because this low life bully will get his one way or another.

a reply to: Swills

It's been my opinion for a very long time that a large number of prosecutors are among the worst people walking the Earth. They stand to lose practically nothing for their misconduct. Remember this story from last year?

For the First Time Ever, a Prosecutor Will Go to Jail for Wrongfully Convicting an Innocent Man

Today in Texas, former prosecutor and judge Ken Anderson pled guilty to intentionally failing to disclose evidence in a case that sent an innocent man, Michael Morton, to prison for the murder of his wife. When trying the case as a prosecutor, Anderson possessed evidence that may have cleared Morton, including statements from the crime's only eyewitness that Morton wasn't the culprit. Anderson sat on this evidence, and then watched Morton get convicted. While Morton remained in prison for the next 25 years, Anderson's career flourished, and he eventually became a judge.

In today's deal, Anderson pled to criminal contempt, and will have to give up his law license, perform 500 hours of community service, and spend 10 days in jail. Anderson had already resigned in September from his position on the Texas bench.

All the corrupt prosecutors who have cost so many people countless years of their lives — and in some cases, their very lives — and he was the first one to get jail time in the US for his misdeeds and it was only 10 days.

Wow...what a slime-ball. I realize its easy to criticize small town Southern justice but unfortunately prosecutors like this are all over the country. This man will get his, in this life or the next. At the very least a review should be conducted, and at the expense of this slug's pension. Where is Eric Holder and the justice department when you need them? a reply to: Swills

a reply to: theantediluvian

Become the 1%, give an innocent man 25 years in prision and in return when found out you get 500 hrs community service and 10 days in prision... You couldn't make it up. At least they prosecuted him, it's a start.

This makes me wonder if these men worry for their safety. The ASD has many more people ans many more supporters than it did years ago.

It only takes one person to realize it could have been their child, Sibling or friend.

Even if you throw this man in jail now, he got 30 more good years than his victims did. Cases like this one where a person deliberately used his authority to harm someone else for the sake of personal gain are among the worst crimes possible in a society. To me this is on par with an older family member doing bad things to a child.

On days where I feel more vindictive than I should I would happily and willingly support North Koreas 3 generations of punishment system in cases like this. On other days where I'm more rational simply recognizing the error and throwing this man in prison would be enough.