(The Center Square) – If legislation introduced into the Ohio House of Representatives becomes law, the state would simplify the process of overturning wrongful convictions.
Twenty-one House members co-sponsored House Bill 738, introduced by State Reps. David Leland, D-Columbus, and Paula Hicks-Hudson, D-Toledo.
The legislation was born from a July 2022 report released by the Task Force on Conviction Integrity and Postconviction Review. Leland was a member of that task force, convened in February 2020 by Supreme Court of Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor. Both Leland and Hicks-Hudson are licensed to practice law in Ohio.
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, four people had their criminal convictions exonerated in the year 2021.
“A wrongful conviction is not only an injustice to the innocent person sitting in prison, it also means that a guilty criminal remains at large. We must fix these errors and bring the real offenders to justice. Finality cannot justify keeping an innocent person in prison,” Leland said.
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