Exculpatory Use of DNA Testing in Post-Conviction Proceedings

For the Attorney General, ILJ completed a study of cases involving the exculpatory use of DNA testing to free convicted defendants from prison. A resulting publication was issued by the National Institute of Justice, Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence after Trial. A review of news articles, reported case decisions and reports from practitioners involved in DNA testing identified 28 cases in which there had been exculpatory DNA testing. Information about each case was gathered from these sources and from telephone interviews with the attorneys in the 28 cases. The study report was distributed to the public by NIJ in June 1996.