Was an Innocent Man Executed While Waiting for a DNA Test?
George W. Bush oversaw more executions during his time as governor of Texas than the rest of the country, about 150. He said that everyone executed in Texas during that time should have been executed. Apparently, even if they may have been innocent.
Ten years after Claude Jones was convicted of murder, a hair used as prime evidence against him ended up not being his hair. That piece of hair was the only physical evidence against him, and prosecutors insisted it was his. Jones had requested a DNA test, but never got it. The hair that supposedly belonged to him may have actually belonged to the victim.
To be fair to Bush, it appears he was never told Jones requested a DNA test. After all, the system isn't perfect. Was Jones the murderer or an innocent man? Because he was executed, we may never know.
It's another case that points to the fundamental problem with execution; you can't take back mistakes. Meanwhile, it's possible the real murderer is out there, free.
Links
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/11/12/131274985/new-dna-evidence-undermines-texas-execution
Family photos of Claude Jones are from http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101111/capt.9246132ba1cb41368e643a8c4467a55a-9246132ba1cb41368e643a8c4467a55a-0.jpg?x=400&y=307&q=85&sig=Km0nazEFC2pHcRQeknMB9w-- No threat to their copyright is intended.
