by Bert | Oct 3, 2019 | Louisiana, Oregon
In addition to run-of-the-mill misconduct, our blog often draws attention to cases in which prosecutors make questionable claims. It happens with surprising regularity; it turns out that prosecutors are often willing to take seemingly indefensible positions if it...
by Bert | Apr 25, 2018 | Louisiana, Oregon
Only two jurisdictions in the country permit a criminal conviction on the vote of a non-unanimous jury: Oregon and Louisiana. In both states, the constitutional and statutory provisions allowing just 10 of 12 jurors to send someone to prison were powered by racial...
by Alec | Sep 10, 2015 | Oregon, The Open File Blog
One of the most egregious and long-standing systems of prosecutorial misconduct that we have ever followed is the still unfolding story of the illegal snitch network operated out of the Orange County, California District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s offices....
by Sophie | Nov 10, 2014 | New Jersey, Oregon, The Open File Blog, Washington
Opening and closing statements and the use of PowerPoint slides got prosecutors into hot water in three different states in October, with appellate courts reversing convictions after finding that those prosecutors made improper arguments about defendants or their...
by OpenFile | Oct 27, 2014 | Oregon, The Open File Blog
Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill has announced a plan to have one of his longest serving prosecutors take on a new role in the office: to review defendants’ claims of innocence and prevent future wrongful convictions. Numerous conviction...