Exoneration
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Criminal procedure |
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Criminal trials and convictions |
Rights of the accused |
Right to a fair trial · Speedy trial |
Jury trial · Presumption of innocence |
Exclusionary rule (U.S.) |
Self-incrimination · Double jeopardy |
Verdict |
Acquittal · Conviction |
Not proven (Scot.) · Directed verdict |
Sentencing |
Mandatory · Suspended · Custodial |
Dangerous offender (Can.) |
Capital punishment · Execution warrant |
Cruel and unusual punishment |
Post-conviction events |
Parole · Probation |
Tariff (UK) · Life licence (UK) |
Miscarriage of justice |
Exoneration · Pardon |
Related areas of law |
Criminal defenses |
Criminal law · Evidence |
Civil procedure |
Portals: Law · Criminal justice |
Exoneration occurs when a person who has been convicted of a crime is later proved to have been innocent of that crime. Attempts to exonerate convicts are particularly controversial in death penalty cases, especially where new evidence is put forth after the execution has taken place. Recently, DNA evidence has been used to exonerate a number of persons either on death row or serving lengthy prison sentences. Organizations like the Innocence Project are particularly concerned with the exoneration of those who have been convicted based on weak evidence.