240 historic cases to be re-examined in light of Teresa investigation (From Daily Echo)
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Teresa De Simone's murder investigation means 240 more cases could be re-examined
9:20am Sunday 20th September 2009 in Teresa De Simone
Who else could be innocent?
THE release of Sean Hodgson has reopened investigations into 240 historical murder and rape convictions, the Daily Echo can reveal.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the independent public body that reviews possible miscarriages of justice, said it had trawled through its case history for any rape or murder before 1990.
This was the year police across the UK began regularly using DNA as evidence to secure convictions – evidence that would have helped catch Teresa De Simone’s real killer, David Lace.
DNA found at the crime scene was used to free Hodgson after 27 years behind bars and to eventually trace Lace.
Since being formed 12 years ago, the CCRC has received more than 11,000 review applications from criminals pleading their innocence.
As the only body with the power to compel the Court of Appeal to hear a second appeal, the CCRC is the last route for those hoping to clear their name.
CCRC spokesman Justin Hawkins said that after Mr Hodgson’s conviction was quashed it began taking a second look at cases where there might be testable forensic material that could now be tested for DNA.
“The scope of our trawl through our case history was any rape or murder before 1990 about which an application has been made, beyond that we would not be able to look,” he said.
“That involves somebody who has been convicted of either rape or murder, they will have already sort to appeal that case and either had the appeal heard and dismissed or not been granted leave to appeal.
“We have identified 240 that we are now in the process of looking at. We will be working our way through each of those and look back to see if the circumstances around Mr Hodgson’s referral means that we need to revise our conclusion about those cases.”
However, Mr Hawkins said they would only test for new DNA samples if they believed it would cast doubt on the conviction.
“It’s not just about whether there is testable material that might throw some light, but also what light it might throw and whether it will cast doubt on the conviction,” he explained.
“For instance, if there was some crime scene DNA samples that could be tested, that is interesting, but it may not be telling in terms of the safety of the conviction if you have got, for example, CCTV or a statement from a witness.”
Following Mr Hodgson’s release in March, the CCRC also wrote to the director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, QC, to request that the Crown Prosecution Service identify (CPS) and review similar murder cases from the time before DNA evidence was available.
A CPS spokesman last night said it was still in talks with the CCRC, but did not confirm if a review had begun.
Comments(21)
mick sterbs
says...
10:00am Sun 20 Sep 09
goard
says...
10:17am Sun 20 Sep 09
goard
King Mush
says...
10:58am Sun 20 Sep 09
The USA has a massive waiting list on Death Row and mostly poor blacks who do not have the privileges of decent legal support.
There have always been miscarriages of justice and our own history of hanging the wrong people is always trotted out by the usual anti capital punishment apologists.
However, we now have very advanced forensic techniques (although not infallible) mixed with CCTV that can often prove a case.
There are always the types that 'confess' to any crime due to mental incapacity or maybe just off their heads on drugs or the debilitating effect on their brain cells.
We have seen corrupt police altering evidence to get a result and please the public or their superiors plus having personal vendettas against well known villains who keep getting away with their antics.
We need a major overhaul of the system and at least many a 'getway' criminal will be having sleepless nights as a result of new/old evidence coming to light. Or the thought of previous family/friends/confi
dantes coming forward with details of hidden crimes.
southy
says...
11:25am Sun 20 Sep 09
the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
10 Minute Man
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1:06pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Linesman
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1:17pm Sun 20 Sep 09
There was a time when it was not realised that everyone's fingerprints were different, and when police used that, so suspects could be eliminated.
Blood groups is another example and now DNA has cleared a person who admitted to the crime.
As I am not perfect, and have yet to meet anyone else who is, I cannot expect the Police to get it right every time but, as said, each advance in science helps them to reduce errors.
If a person says that they have never made a mistake, the odds are that they have done nothing!
King Mush
says...
1:47pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Linesman wrote:My unlucky great grandfather confessed to a murder on his deathbed.
With each new advance in science, so the risk of error is reduced.
There was a time when it was not realised that everyone's fingerprints were different, and when police used that, so suspects could be eliminated.
Blood groups is another example and now DNA has cleared a person who admitted to the crime.
As I am not perfect, and have yet to meet anyone else who is, I cannot expect the Police to get it right every time but, as said, each advance in science helps them to reduce errors.
If a person says that they have never made a mistake, the odds are that they have done nothing!
Then got better
Bartonian
says...
2:23pm Sun 20 Sep 09
southy wrote:Hanged head chopped off???? How highly original coming from you.
history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
Derek of Dibden Purlieu
says...
2:49pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Bartonian wrote:Stalin knew how to treat 'criminals' in Russia........ he had literally millions of them killed and ended up as one of the biggest mass murderers the world has ever known.
southy wrote:Hanged head chopped off???? How highly original coming from you.
history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
southy
says...
3:08pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Bartonian wrote:to point is that it has happen the wrong people getting executed for crimes that they never committed, history is littered with them.
southy wrote:Hanged head chopped off???? How highly original coming from you.
history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
thats why i said maybe there should be an independent body of investigators to go though it all, just in case.
Bartonian
says...
3:19pm Sun 20 Sep 09
southy wrote:...and who might these people be? Former bobbies? Bet they won't come cheap either.
Bartonian wrote:to point is that it has happen the wrong people getting executed for crimes that they never committed, history is littered with them. thats why i said maybe there should be an independent body of investigators to go though it all, just in case.southy wrote: history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.Hanged head chopped off???? How highly original coming from you.
Lone Ranger
says...
3:22pm Sun 20 Sep 09
southy wrote:And what are you going to call this investigation team...let me guess.....QUANGOS...
Bartonian wrote:to point is that it has happen the wrong people getting executed for crimes that they never committed, history is littered with them. thats why i said maybe there should be an independent body of investigators to go though it all, just in case.southy wrote: history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.Hanged head chopped off???? How highly original coming from you.
.yes the very ones you want to abolish !!
Big Mac
says...
5:16pm Sun 20 Sep 09
KCAJRETSOF
says...
5:20pm Sun 20 Sep 09
It appears to me that in many cases juries are shown no proof of guilt but simply asked to decide who they believe. May as well just toss a coin and save time and cost!
southy
says...
7:59pm Sun 20 Sep 09
KCAJRETSOF wrote:nicely said, unlike some of those that posted on here.
If people accused of committing a crime need to be 'proven' guilty, how can there be any miscarriages of justice? I rather think it shows that people are convicted without any proof being provided. Surely motive is not proof, nor is circumstantial evidence, yet these things are regularly used to obtain convictions.
It appears to me that in many cases juries are shown no proof of guilt but simply asked to decide who they believe. May as well just toss a coin and save time and cost!
like in this case they avoided the fact that this guy could of been mentally ill, they dont like flaws pointed out to them with in the system,
Brite Spark
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8:29pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Bill-B
says...
9:20pm Sun 20 Sep 09
southy wrote:And if we had a Socialist government blah, blah, blah, blah.
history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
southy
says...
11:36pm Sun 20 Sep 09
Bill-B wrote:well the crime rate has all ways be lower under a socialist government, but crimes of this nature are bad, and more needs to be done to get the right person. and a group going over the case after a court verdict would help to sort out if there was a case in the first place.
southy wrote:And if we had a Socialist government blah, blah, blah, blah.
history is littered with the wrong people being hanged head chop off, the police in this case failed to noticed that this man was mentally ill. so they was more at fault than any one else, in cases of the worse kind, the evidence all should to an independent body of investigators and gone over with a fine tooth comb, it is not unknown for the police to lie in court or give faults evidence or tamper evidence, just to get a conviction.
stay local
says...
12:26am Mon 21 Sep 09
"well the crime rate has all ways be lower under a socialist government,"
Southy can you give the evidence for these claims or do you also ageee that Swan fly upside down on Fridays!
You can make comments on this site and I enjoy reading them but can you always provide the source for your information.
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE to say go to the library or do your own research we need to know how you have come to your conclusion, or will you just accept my claim for the upside down swans??
As for the actual story they have identified 240 cases where there is a possibilty of a miscarriage. Of those they will review them to see if there is a posssibilty and then only if there is a posibilty that the dna evidence will change the conviction safety willl they retest. so in answer thae Echo is once again trying to stir up worry concern and false hope.
Snowman
says...
8:08pm Mon 21 Sep 09
Lone Ranger says...
9:43am Sun 20 Sep 09
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More like...who else was deranged enough to confess to a crime that they did not commit