Wrongful convictions make the news every once in a while, and this happens in almost every type of case, but mostly in criminal cases. This is because the judicial system is not often effective for poor defendants. These matters can worsen further if you are represented by an incompetent lawyer who fails to investigate effectively and prepare for the trial with all witnesses.
This is why it is always recommended to go with a reliable legal firm to represent you in court and save one from being wrongfully convicted. However, there are some prevalent reasons behind people being wrongfully convicted, and some of those reasons include:
False Confessions:
This may be hard to believe for many, but there is no shortage of wrongful conviction cases resulting from false confessions. These confessions often come from mentally unstable, mentally challenged, or even juveniles.
When conducting an investigation, the police often push for a confession instead of investigating the matter and getting into the details. They often tend to overlook the evidence and focus on the severity of the crime. People with power use this tactic to tell the defendant their sentence will be minimized with a confession. But as we know, that is rarely the case.
Misinterpretation By The Eyewitness:
One of the primary causes of wrongful conviction is misinterpretation by eyewitnesses. As most crimes can occur in a very short period, people often end up misinterpreting what they see. In addition, the person committing the crime generally comes with hidden faces, which further contributes to the complication.
This requires enhancement in the identification process for eyewitnesses to ensure better accuracy. One can make this possible by making the suspect stand out without the investigating officers knowing it. Hence as the eyewitness identifies the suspects, the officers can get a statement from them to ensure no one is wrongfully accused.
Official Misconduct:
There have been many instances where the accused was short of evidence to support their innocence or were deliberately hiding the information for whatever reasons. This restricts the defense lawyer from accessing all the information, which further weakens the case in the court.
Sometimes even the prosecutor can also miss out on information or withhold the same because of different uncertainty associated with the credibility of the information. Therefore, one must hire a robust legal firm to facilitate an open file discovery to do away with such official misconduct.
Incompetent Defense:
This is another leading cause resulting in wrongful conviction as often the defense lawyers are not trained adequately to build a strong case. This can also result from a lack of passion resulting in an ineffective investigation carried out by the defense lawyer.
Very often, suspects can only avail themselves of legal counsel offered by the court. These counsels often have a lot on their plate, and they are underpaid for their job anyway. Therefore, when a case demands investigation and diligence, these lawyers fail to offer both.
Final Thoughts
Wrongful convictions can often ruin the lives of an individual and even their families. Therefore, hiring a reliable legal firm is always recommended to minimize the chances of being wrongfully accused or convicted by others.
