Wrongful Convictions: Past, Present and Future

Tuesday, July 27 from 5:30 – 7:00pm via Zoom

Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning (GMALL) welcomes Dr. Catherine Bonventre to talk about wrongful convictions and their consequences. Since 1989, when postconviction forensic DNA testing was first used to clear the innocent of crimes they did not commit, more than 2,700 people have been exonerated in the United States.  A multitude of factors contribute to wrongful convictions including mistaken eyewitnesses, faulty forensic science, false confessions, government misconduct, inadequate defense lawyering, and more.  In addition to exploring contributing factors, this talk will address the consequences of wrongful convictions for exonerees and the broader community.  How do exonerees navigate life after exoneration?  How is society harmed when actual perpetrators of crimes remain free to commit more crimes while the innocent are incarcerated?  Finally, this talk will explore emerging issues in wrongful convictions. Registration for the talk is $15 per person in advance. For more information or to register, please call 802-867-0111 or visit our website at greenmtnacademy.org.