Blog Posts & Articles
New Evidence Frees Michael Morton after 25 Years in Prison
As reported by the Austin American-Statesman on October 3rd, 2011, Michael Morton will be released from prison after serving 25 years for the 1986 murder of his wife. New evidence proves the widow did not commit the crime. Recent DNA tests link the killing to another man, a felon identified as John Doe in court because…
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NACDL Supports U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Against Life Sentences Without Parole for Some Teenage Offenders
As reported by the Legal Dish, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 28, 2010, that life sentences without parole cannot be handed out for juvenile offenders who commit crimes other than homicide. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers agreed with the court’s landmark decision, saying a life sentence without parole is as inappropriate as…
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NACDL President Cynthia Orr Urges El Paso to Develop Independent Oversight Commission
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Cynthia Orr penned a letter on behalf of the organization requesting El Paso, Texas, establish an independent oversight commission to uphold national public defense standards. The organization became interested in the issue because of El Paso County Public Defender Clara Hernandez’ potential dismissal from office, Orr stated in the…
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NACDL Pushes For Action in Peter Erlinder Arrest in Rwanda
Attorney Cynthia Orr, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President, is requesting urgent action be taken to protect criminal defense attorney and professor Peter Erlinder. According to the NACDL letter to the United Nations, Erlinder is being detained by the government of Rwanda. He is a defense attorney at the ICTR and a professor of Law at William Mitchell…
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Attorney Cynthia Orr Writes Opinion Article About When Law is Unfair
San Antonio criminal defense attorney Cynthia Orr has practiced law for more than 20 years, and according to an opinion piece written for White Collar Crime Prof Blog, she has seen instances where criminal laws do not meet the basics of justice. Orr details the issues she faced in a case representing a physician who,…
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Cynthia Orr Says DNA Exoneration Needs to Be Reformed
As reported by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Attorney Cynthia Orr said she thinks DNA exoneration practices should be reformed, saying the victims and those falsely imprisoned deserve a better system. Although the Innocence Protection Act of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which provides for DNA testing and preservation of evidence, is…
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NACDL Part of Coalition Asking Attorney General to Reconsider Changes to Miranda Rights
A coalition of 35 organizations, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, is asking U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to reconsider his request to weaken Miranda rights. Attorney Cynthia Orr, president of the NACDL, penned a letter to the official on behalf of the organization saying weakening Miranda laws would “undercut” fundamental rights in the…
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NACDL President Cynthia Orr Said the Press is Vital to Criminal Justice System
As reported by the Champion, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ publication, organization president Cynthia Orr said the press plays a crucial role in the way the criminal justice system functions. Orr said the press, also known as the Fourth Estate, is needed because journalism can be used to expose governmental abuses of power, discuss…
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NACDL Discusses How Scientific Evidence Can Affect Criminal Cases
According to a report released by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, forensic evidence that is used in court often in based on speculative research, interpretations and quality control procedures. The NACDL is supporting reform efforts in the forensic science community, and organization president Cynthia Orr said crime labs throughout the country have uncovered hundreds…
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NACDL President Cynthia Orr Said Sentencing Laws Should Change to Adapt to Circumstances
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Cynthia Orr said sentencing should be aimed at achieving success and addressing crime, rather than a general sentence to serve as a punishment. In the President Column in The Champion, Orr tells the story of a San Antonio man who was convicted of armed robbery and received a sentence…
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