What causes Wrongful Convictions?
Police misconduct is a leading cause of wrongful convictions in the United States. Just over 2,900 people have been exonerate
Organizations That Help Wrongfully Convicted people
People That Have Been Wrongfully Convicted
KU law students help overturn murder conviction
Floyd Bledsoe served 16 years in prison for the shooting death of his sister-in-law a crime he did not commit. But with the help of KU Law’s Project for Innocence, he’s now a free man. KU law students had worked on the case since 2006 and advocated for new DNA testing that showed Bledsoe’s innocence. Bledsoe read an emotional thank you to students in the law program for the work they did to set him free.
Lamonte McIntyre and legal team question accountability in his wrongful conviction
It's a question facing communities across the country right now: What do we do for the people whose lives were changed forever when they were sent to prison for a crime they had nothing to do with?
Dana Chandler
Dana Chandler is charged with the 2002 murder of her ex-husband, Mike Sisco, and his fiancée, Karen Harkness. Shawnee County DA Office and Law Enforcement framed her for the murder and the conviction was overturned. She is schedule for retrial in July 2024
Prosecutors persist in Topeka double-murder case despite vexed jurors, flawed testimony, no science Shawnee County district judge to decide whether to order a third trial for Dana Chandler
TOPEKA — As juror Ben Alford listened to Terri Anderson’s sensational story at last month’s high-profile double-murder trial in Topeka, he scribbled a big “WTF” in his notes.
The decision by prosecutors to place Anderson on the stand, even though they knew her story lacked credibility, and their request for a new trial demonstrate their persistence in a 20-year quest to convict Dana Chandler.
James Griffin
At trial, the “evidence” used to convict James was based on hearsay from one person, their significant other and a next door neighbor. Since then, the witnesses have recanted their testimony, stating they lied to avoid a jail sentence. In addition, phone records, which were never presented at trial, have James' at a location 2.5 hours away from Topeka, in Coffeyville, Kansas. His Mother, also his alibi, was never called to testify on her son's behalf. She has since passed away. No one identified James Griffin as either the shooter or the getaway driver. Lastly, no DNA or physical evidence that James Griffin was involved in this crime exists.
Corruption in Kansas Court System
Kansas prosecutor Jacqie Spradling disbarred for "intolerable acts of deception" in double murder case
May 2022- The Kansas Supreme Court Friday disbarred a prosecutor who it said engaged in "a serious pattern of grossly unethical misconduct" during a 2012 trial that led to a woman being sentenced to life in prison for the murders of her ex-husband and his fiancee. Prosecutor Jacqie Spradling "repeatedly made arguments to the jury that lacked any evidentiary support, intentionally lied to this court in her briefs and in oral arguments, and made false statements during the disciplinary investigation," the court wrote in its opinion Friday.
Judge who signed Marion Co. Record search warrant has criminal history
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Days after law enforcement raided the Marion County Record, 12 News learned that the judge who signed off on the warrant has a criminal history. Eighth Judicial District Magistrate Judge Laura Viar has two DUI arrests on her record. Both incidents happened in 2012 in Morris and Coffey counties. Viar, who went by Laura Allen at the time, was put on diversion for an arrest in Coffey County. Seven months later, she was arrested again for a DUI in Morris County while she was the county attorney. Viar (Allen) was not supposed to be driving since her license had been suspended for the first arrest.
Pages missing from witness statement in Marion raids, according to witness
A witness alleged pages are missing from a written statement related to the Marion County Record raids
Roger Golubski
A new lawsuit claims several former Kansas City, Kansas Police Department chiefs and detectives operated a criminal enterprise for decades “preying upon and coercing sexual acts from vulnerable Black women”. The suit filed in Kansas U.S. District Court Friday names former police chiefs Thomas Dailey, James Swafford, Terry Zeigler, and Ronald Miller as defendants.
Kansas law enforcement routinely produces error-filled reports on seized cash and property
Kansas police have reported seizing more than $9.5 million in cash and $2.5 million in property since a new state law took effect in July 2019. But a review of nearly 2,000 reports found widespread inconsistencies in how those seizures are logged — or if they're even reported at all.
D.A. alleges corruption in Topeka narcotics unit
Topeka- 2005- Narcotics officers regularly tampered with drug evidence and falsified records, and Topeka’s police chief knew about the problems when he sought prosecution of flawed criminal cases, Shawnee County’s top prosecutor said Thursday.
Dist. Atty. Robert Hecht said top Topeka police officials, including Chief Ed Klumpp, knew about problems in the narcotics unit by 2003, yet no officers were disciplined. Hecht also said his office was forced to dismiss 25 criminal cases filed since 1999 because of questions about officers’ conduct.
“It is clear that the chain of command, including the chief of police, were aware that there were serious factual flaws in these cases and that they contained false statements and allegations,” Hecht said in a report on the narcotics unit.
Kansas Court & Law Enforcement Systems aren't reliable
Kansas lawmakers approve $131M budget for state court system
Jun 2, 2015 - Kansas legislators have approved a $131 million budget for the state court system for the fiscal year beginning July 1 to avoid the possibility that judicial offices would close otherwise.
Kansas court systems disabled
Kansas court systems are feeling the impact of a security incident reported last week
New order allows attorneys to work more efficiently following breach of Kansas judicial system
Amended Kansas Crime Index finds violent crimes actually increased in 2022
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Violent crimes in Kansas were found to have actually increased in 2022 following an amendment after a system error was reported in Wichita. The KBI announced that on Thursday, Nov. 12, it released an amended 2022 Kansas Crime Index Report, which compiles crime statistics reported by state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
Kansas Veteran Courts
