70-yr-old north carolina man wrongly convicted four decades ago, judges say

[shart_attack]

WHITEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A 70-year-old man was wrongly convicted in the stabbing deaths of a mother and daughter nearly four decades ago and should be freed from prison, a three-judge panel ruled Friday.

The judges heard from a DNA expert who said none of the evidence collected in the case matched Joseph Sledge. A district attorney apologized to Sledge and promised to reopen the case into the 1976 slayings.

"The system has made a mistake," district attorney Jon David said. "The wrong man is in prison."

After the judges' decision was announced, Sledge was still for a moment, then hugged his lawyer and family members who attended the hearing.

Sledge was being processed for release, which was likely to happen Friday afternoon. His nephew Maurice Sledge said the family planned to take him to Savannah, Georgia, to live with one of Joseph Sledge's brothers.

Sledge was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the September 1976 slayings of Josephine Davis and her daughter, Aileen. They were found stabbed to death in their home in Elizabethtown, a day after Sledge had escaped from a prison work farm where he was serving a four-year sentence for larceny.

Sledge is the eighth person exonerated after the state set up the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, the only state-run investigative agency of its kind. The commission found there was enough doubt to review Sledge's case, and the state Supreme Court appointed the three judges to hear it.

In addition to fingerprints, DNA and hair gathered at the scene that didn't belong to Sledge, a key jailhouse informant, Herman Baker, signed an affidavit in 2013 recanting trial testimony. Baker said he lied at the 1978 trial after being promised leniency in his own drug case and he said he'd been coached by authorities on what to say.

The commission began operation in 2007. It has completed reviews of about 1,500 cases.

The nonprofit Innocence Project said there have been 325 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the U.S.

Judges 70-year-old NC man wrongly convicted 4 decades ago

The American legal system is BROKEN.

"Halls of justice painted green, money talking. ..." — Metallica, ... And Justice For All.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

 

[Asclepias]

The Prison Industrial Complex at its beginnings.

 

[shart_attack]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

It's also what happens when the appointing of judges at all levels of the American judiciary is allowed to rely to any extent on cronyism, as opposed to purely on merit.

 

[Ernie S.]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

 

[reconmark]

Knew he was Black before I even opened the link.

 

[reconmark]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

Do you really need someone to explain how utterly stupid your statement is???

 

[Asclepias]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

Do you really need someone to explain how utterly stupid your statement is???

Dont waste your time. The fact he even made the statement proves he is too much of an idiot to realize exactly how stupid it sounds.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

After losing 40 years of his freedom over something he didn't do, that man had better not go home empty handed! To me, them authority people will never be able to make it up to him.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

 

[Katzndogz]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

It's impossible to get it right 100% of the time because human beings make mistakes. The Innocence Project looks at old cases with new technology that didn't exist at the time of the original sentencing.

If you think that no one should ever be punished for their crimes say so.

 

[Ernie S.]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

Fair enough, but we don't know what 700 are innocent. Tell you what. How about we build a 70 unit high-rise next door to your place and we release 700 inmates at random and set them up there with no supervision? You OK with that?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

It's impossible to get it right 100% of the time because human beings make mistakes. The Innocence Project looks at old cases with new technology that didn't exist at the time of the original sentencing.

If you think that no one should ever be punished for their crimes say so.

Not sure how you got that attitude from my post but okay.
I'd be willing to bet I'm for harsher punishments than you are,I just dont like to the innocent jailed because of some glory seeking asshole prosecutor wants the prosecution percentage so he/she can keep their job.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

Fair enough, but we don't know what 700 are innocent. Tell you what. How about we build a 70 unit high-rise next door to your place and we release 700 inmates at random and set them up there with no supervision? You OK with that?

That makes zero sense.
And why you appear to be for locking up innocent people has me baffled.

 

[Ernie S.]

I doubt you're for harsher punishment than I am, but that's irrelevant. Prosecutors are just people. The more successful ones get to be DA's or judges, hell maybe mayors or get a spot on SCOTUS. There is a huge incentive to get convictions. Do some take shortcuts? Hell yes, but damned few would knowingly convict an innocent man.

 

[ChrisL]

This is just one reason why I'm against the death penalty. At least we didn't kill him too.

 

[Ernie S.]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

Fair enough, but we don't know what 700 are innocent. Tell you what. How about we build a 70 unit high-rise next door to your place and we release 700 inmates at random and set them up there with no supervision? You OK with that?

That makes zero sense.
And why you appear to be for locking up innocent people has me baffled.

If they are locked up, they are guilty. It's as simple as that. Overturning convictions is hard as hell because we trust the system. Yes we get it wrong .03% of the time. Those should have a resource like the Innocence Project, and they should get out. How you interpret what I say as advocating imprisoning innocent people, I can't for the life of me, figure out.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I doubt you're for harsher punishment than I am, but that's irrelevant. Prosecutors are just people. The more successful ones get to be DA's or judges, hell maybe mayors or get a spot on SCOTUS. There is a huge incentive to get convictions. Do some take shortcuts? Hell yes, but damned few would knowingly convict an innocent man.

Oh no doubt they wouldnt frame someone but they have been known to with hold evidence and twist the truth and thats a fact.
Hell,cops lie at traffic court for Christ sake.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thats what happens when prosecutors dont give a shit about the truth,only a conviction rate.

Yup we sometimes get it wrong, but according to The Innocence project, in 2010 they had 10,000 cases under review and exonerated 29. In other words, folks are wrongfully convicted 0.03% of the time

So about 700 innocent people in prison?
The percentages dont look that bad ...unless of course you're one of the 0.03%
And that would also lead me to ask why "The Innocence Project" could get it right but not our legal system.
We are talking about someones life.
I know mistakes will be made and I dont expect perfection only because it's more than likely impossible to get it in a court room when you consider the participants.
My biggest problem is unethical prosecutors and police that will do anything for a prosecution.

Fair enough, but we don't know what 700 are innocent. Tell you what. How about we build a 70 unit high-rise next door to your place and we release 700 inmates at random and set them up there with no supervision? You OK with that?

That makes zero sense.
And why you appear to be for locking up innocent people has me baffled.

If they are locked up, they are guilty. It's as simple as that. Overturning convictions is hard as hell because we trust the system. Yes we get it wrong .03% of the time. Those should have a resource like the Innocence Project, and they should get out. How you interpret what I say as advocating imprisoning innocent people, I can't for the life of me, figure out.

You just said if they were locked up they're guilty and in the same post you admit to a 0.03% error rate. That amounts to around 700 innocents in jail that you say deserve to be there....that dont.
Not sure where the confusion is.

 

[Ernie S.]

Well some cops do and some lie on the ticket and when you catch them at it, don't make it to court for your case.