Will the Supreme Court Crack Down on Louisiana’s Rogue Prosecutors?
In a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court, lawyers for a death row inmate are asking the justices to put a stop to an "epidemic" of prosecutorial misconduct.
Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith is a state and national award-winning investigative journalist based in Kansas City, Missouri. She has covered the criminal legal system for more than 25 years and, during that time, has developed a reputation as a resourceful and dogged reporter with a talent for analyzing complex social and legal issues. She spent more than 20 years reporting in Texas where she was regarded as one of the best investigative reporters in the state. Her investigative work in wrongful conviction cases has helped to exonerate six people. A longtime staff writer for the Austin Chronicle, her work has also appeared in The Nation, the Crime Report, and the Texas Observer, among other places.
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California Supreme Court Overturns Murder Conviction Based on Flawed Bite-Mark Evidence
The court overturned the 1997 conviction of Bill Richards for the murder of his wife, Pamela, finding that false forensic testimony had impacted the outcome of his trial.
Trials of Richard Glossip
Oklahoma’s Insane Rush to Execute
Amid lingering doubts over Richard Glossip’s guilt, a new report slams the state’s bungled execution protocol while proposing new, improved ways to kill.
How Orange County Prosecutors Covered Up Rampant Misuse of Jailhouse Informants
More than a dozen serious felony cases have unraveled as a result of systemic misconduct by police and prosecutors in Orange County, with charges dismissed or reduced or new trials granted.
Junk Science on Trial in Bill Richards Bite-Mark Appeal
California's Supreme Court must decide whether to vacate a murder conviction based on flawed and unscientific expert testimony.
Texas Prisons Assert Right to Censor Inmates’ Families on Social Media
A new rule in Texas that prohibits prisoners from maintaining a social media presence could infringe on the free speech and expression rights of ordinary citizens who maintain accounts on behalf of incarcerated loved ones.
Racially Charged Testimony Helped Put Duane Buck on Death Row. Will the Supreme Court Step In?
Duane Buck killed two people in 1995 and pleaded guilty. But was it racial bias that put him on death row?
Convicted of a Crime That Never Happened: Why Won’t Texas Exonerate Fran and Dan Keller?
The Texas couple was jailed during a nationwide panic over “satanic ritual abuse” — a phenomenon long since debunked. Will the Austin district attorney finally let them clear their names?
In Las Vegas, Embattled Forensic Experts Respond to Scandals and Flawed Convictions
At a recent convention in Las Vegas, forensic experts responded to charges that they have no scientific basis for their conclusions.
Securus Settles Lawsuit Alleging Improper Recording of Privileged Inmate Calls
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of jail inmates in Austin, Texas, lent context to a leaked database of 70 million Securus call records, as well as credence to claims by prisoners, who often insist that all of their communications are recorded.