We broadcast from New Orleans, Louisiana, the heart of the world’s
prison capital, where more people are behind bars any other state per
capita — an incarceration rate 13 times that of China. Louisiana also
ranks among the highest in the country in terms of the number of people
per capita who are exonerated after serving years in prison for crimes
they did not commit. We are joined by Henry James, the longest-serving
prisoner to be exonerated in Louisiana. James spent 30 years in the
notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola prison, on a
life sentence without parole for rape. At trial, the prosecution never
told the jury that serology testing from the rape kit excluded James as
the perpetrator. In 2011, DNA evidence found
by accident proved James’ innocence, winning him his release. We also
speak with Emily Maw, director of Innocence Project New Orleans, which
helped win his exoneration. "Henry James’ case is unfortunately
atypical. Everybody in Louisiana who is convicted of murder or rape gets
sentenced to life without parole. There is no other sentence for those
two crimes. What is atypical about Henry’s case is that they found the
evidence," Maw says. "In Louisiana, as in many places, evidence storage
and preservation practices are atrocious. People lose evidence all the
time in cases where DNA testing could prove their innocence."Video
Source: democracynow.org
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