Convicted But Innocent

Most of us likely sleep easier when we're told that a violent criminal terrorizing our neighborhood has been apprehended. But would we sleep as well if we knew that that person was actually innocent? Would we sleep as well if we knew the real criminal was still at large, just waiting for an opportunity to offend again? And if this criminal...wasn't alone but was accompanied by thousands of others?

Our pleasant slumber has become a nightmare.

Unfortunately, this nightmare is all too real.

Organizations like 'Truth in Justice' and 'The Innocence Project' estimate that 5% to 10% of the U.S. prison population is factually innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. (Figures in other countries are likely to be similar.)

In mid-2006 the U.S. Department of Justice put the population of federal, state, and local jails at about 2.2 million. Even using the conservative estimate of 5%, that would mean more than 100,000 of those are innocent. Again using DOJ figures, 50,000 of those may be serving time for violent crimes they didn't commit.

Do the math. For every innocent person behind bars, a guilty person still walks among us. 50,000 violent criminals, with no one pursuing them because, as far as the authorities--the police and the courts--are concerned, the crimes they committed have already been solved with the guilty safely behind bars.

To put a face to these figures, consider James Curtis Giles. James served ten years in prison for aggravated rape, then another ten years as a registered sex offender. His true crime? He happened to have a name similar to the man eventually identified as the likely real assailant, James Earl Giles.

Or consider Anthony Capozzi. Anthony served twenty years in prison for rape while the biological evidence that could have exonerated him sat forgotten in a hospital drawer.

Or consider Curtis McCarty who spent twenty-one years in prison--including sixteen years on death row--for murder. He was eventually exonerated by DNA testing, yet he should never have been convicted in the first place. Why was he? A forensic analyst intentionally falsified findings and destroyed evidence.
She was eventually fired for forensic fraud, but not before she testified in thousands of other cases.

Intentional misconduct on the part of police, forensic analysts, prosecutors, and judges is only one reason the innocent may be convicted. There's also misidentification by witnesses, lies told by informants and snitches, unreliable laboratory science, poor physical evidence, and simple incompetence on the part of defense attorneys.

We may be inclined to dismiss cases of wrongful conviction by the assumption that those so convicted must have done something to incriminate themselves, that if they weren't wholly guilty of the crimes for which they were convicted, they must have been guilty in some related case. We could assure ourselves that all we have to do to avoid their fate is to stay out of trouble.

If so, we'd be deluding ourselves.

James Curtis Giles was at a restaurant eating dinner with his wife when the home invasion and subsequent rape for which he was convicted occurred.

Curtis McCarty had the simple misfortune of being acquainted with the person he did not murder, but he spent half his life in prison anyway.

These cases, and so many like them, underscore the fact that anyone can be wrongfully convicted. Living a quiet life and minding your own business is no guarantee of safety ... or justice.

So what can you do?

Support organizations like 'The Innocence Project' and 'Truth in Justice'. Petition your local politicians to enact laws and procedures that limit the likelihood of misidentification or reliance on biased informants or unauthenticated forensic testimony. Don't jump on the guilty bandwagon that condemns an accused before there's been a fair trial. And remember that, even after a trial, when the verdict has been read and sentence has been passed, an accused may still be innocent.

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Eco-Minded Skiers Take the Train

skip the long, annoying security checks at the airports and take the train instead.

It's no secret that air travel is less environmentally friendly than train travel. Eurostar train operators in Europe have decided to compete with airlines to transport travelers to The Alps.

Eurostar is the first operator in the world to offer 'carbon neutral' journeys for all its travellers - at no extra cost. Newly opened Ebbsfleet offers seven trains per day to Paris and five per day to Brussels. Trains travel as fast...as 186 mph, making your trip as short as possible. And as economically friendly as possible to boot.

Eurostar plans to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions by twenty-five per cent per passenger by 2012 with their 'Tread Lightly' plan. A train trip with Eurostar generates ten times less carbon dioxide than an airplane trip. In addition to generating fewer emissions, Eurostar plans to offset the emissions they cannot eliminate. Travellers who travel with Eurostar may not realize it, but they are making the environmentally responsible choice.

'We know that thousands of travellers want to be on the first trains on High Speed 1. We are expecting heavy demand from customers keen to enjoy even faster, shorter journeys to the Continent, and who want to see the stunning restoration of St. Pancras International Station,' says Eurostar's Chief Executive, Richard Brown.

Independent research commissioned by Eurostar has shown that a trip from London to the French Alps generates 24 kilograms of carbon dioxide per passenger. In comparison, a typical return flight London Heathrow-Geneva generates 191 kilograms of carbon dioxide while a round trip between Gatwick and Geneva generates 169 kilograms of carbon dioxide per passenger.

An increasing number of skiers are using high speed rail to ski in the French Alps. Since July 2006, more than 33,000 skiers, an increase of 43 per cent from the previous ski season, have used Eurostar to travel to the Alps.

Not only is it more environmentally friendly, it cuts back on transfer problems and lost baggage associated with flying. Travelling with Eurostar helps avoid lengthy coach rides and transfers travellers have to deal with when flying. Eurostar's stations, located high in the Alps, require only a short bus ride to resorts.

For skiers convenience, Eurostar has travel packages that include round trips to The Alps. Some of their most popular travel incentive packages include overnight travel on Friday night to arrive Saturday morning, or Saturday trips that allow travellers to take in the beautiful scenery along the way.

Eurostar also offers select packages at a slightly higher rate. These select packages offer slightly more roomy accommodations, meals and drinks served at the passenger's seat.

This ski season, weigh your options. The plane trip may be quicker, but then you have the worries of lost luggage, coach rides and transfers to and from the resorts. The train trip may take a little longer, but much less hassle.

Whatever mode of transportation you choose, have a safe and happy ski season!

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