When Black Lives Don't Matter: Years Lost to Wrongful Convictions in the Black Community

In this virtual lecture, part of the University of Colorado Law School's Race and the Law series, Clinical Professor Ann England and Anne-Marie Moyes, director of the Korey Wise Innocence Project, examined the role of race in wrongful convictions. They explored why they happen more to people of color, how race informs the lack of adequate reforms, and why exonerations take longer for Black versus white defendants. Wrongful convictions occur at significant rates and disproportionately affect communities of color. Scholars have identified various factors that contribute to wrongful convictions in studying hundreds of exonerations from the past three decades. Yet, progress has been slow in addressing the police practices, flawed forensic science, prosecutorial misconduct, and underfunded indigent defense at the root of most wrongful convictions. The Race and the Law series is part of Dean Anaya's Anti-Racism and Representation Initiative. Announced in July, the yearlong initiative includes a broad range of actions and programs to confront racism and advance greater inclusion in legal education and the legal profession.

Event Details

Speakers	Anne-Marie Moyes, director of the Korey Wise Innocence Project, and Ann England, clinical professor of law