EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A program addressing the impact of wrongful convictions in the United States was held on Friday, highlighting the 35,000 years collectively served by people who went to jail for crimes they did not commit.
Kelly Childress-Diaz, El Paso County Chief Public Defender, explained that the “35,000 Years Lost: The Cost of Wrongful Convictions in the U.S.” event is a follow-up to a similar program held two years ago, which was then titled “29,000 Years Lost.”
El Paso event highlights 35,000 years lost due to wrongful convictions in the U.S. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4
Among the guest speakers were:
Benjamin Spencer, a Texas man who spent 34 years in prison after he was wrongfully convicted of a carjacking and murder in 1987. Cornelius Dupree Jr., a Texas man who– according to The National Registry of Exonerations— served 31 years out of a 75-year prison sentence after he was wrongfully convicted of robbery in 1980. Juan Melendez, a Florida man who spent 17 years on death row for a murder before he was exonerated after investigators stumbled upon a confession from the real killer, according to the non-profit Voice of Witness. Richard R. Miles Jr., a Texas man who spent 15 years behind bars when, at the age of 19, he was convicted of murder and attempted murder in Dallas after eyewitnesses misidentified him and the prosecution suppressed evidence that proved his innocence. Miles Jr.’s case led to Texas adopting a law requiring law enforcement agencies to give signed statements verifying that they have, in fact, delivered to prosecutors all evidence relating to a case, as was reported in 2021 by The Dallas Morning News.
Childress-Diaz expressed admiration for the exonerated individuals who shared their stories, saying,
I don’t know where they come up with the power and the ability to tell their story and walk into rooms and smile, especially looking at the people who run the system that failed them.
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Kelly Childress-Diaz, El Paso County Chief Public Defender. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4
Childress-Diaz emphasized the importance of these stories in educating the public and preventing future miscarriages of justice.
The event was held at the University of Texas at El Paso and was open to the public, attracting a diverse audience, including attorneys, judges, and students.
Childress-Diaz noted that many students expressed interest in pursuing careers in public defense after hearing the speakers.
Reflecting on the event’s origins, Childress-Diaz recalled a similar program she organized in Illinois a decade ago, which inspired her to continue hosting these gatherings.
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