Wrongful Convictions

The course will examine the criminal justice system through the prism of cases in which an innocent person was convicted. It will examine the causes of and proposed remedies for wrongful conviction and consider its implications for the criminal justice system as a whole. Topics will include mistaken eyewitness identification, forensic science, false confessions, prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective assistance, snitch testimony, and the death penalty. Students will also participate in the investigation of a claim of innocence by a North Carolina inmate.

Criminal Procedure: Investigation