Thanks/Praise to God

This next definition, I borrowed from Wikipedia & I will relay it to you my friends, to help you better understand one of the factors that keeps people who are falsely convicted in prison.

“INNOCENT PRISONER’S DILEMMA”
or “Parole Deal”, is a detrimental effect of a legal system in which admission of guilt can result in reduced sentences or early parole.

When an innocent person is wrongly convicted of a crime, legal systems which need the individual to admit guilt, for example as a prerequisite step leading to parole, punish an innocent person for his integrity, and reward a person lacking integrity.

There have been many cases where innocent prisoners were given a choice between freedom, in exchange for claiming guilt, and remaining imprisoned & telling the truth.

Basically what thus means is that when a person is falsely convicted of a crime in states that have parole, the parole board wants them to admit to crimes they didn’t commit so the person can be “eligible” for parole.

Whether they get parole or not, is a different story.

The thing about that is: if a person admits to a crime they didn’t commit to a parole board, then it can be used against them later on in the courts when he/she seeks to prove his/her innocence.

In the State of Washington, after 15 years people who are doing life can seek clemency from the Governor, but part of the deal is that they have to admit to a Clemency Board that they committed the crime & they have to show remorse.

People who also lose all their legal appeals & remedies can seek clemency.

The thing is: if he/she is seeking clemency because they are innocent, then how can they be expected to admit to guilt or show remorse?

Also in Washington there is “Indeterminate Sentences”, which means for people who are convicted of sexual crimes, they can be kept in prison past the release date, the judge sentenced them to.

If a board called the ISRB decides they shouldn’t get out, then that person can be kept as long as the ISRB wants them to.

So under an indeterminate sentence, a 5 year bid could turn into 20 years or potentially life.

The constitutionality of this type of sentencing has been & continues to be challenged in courts.

Like the clemency board, the ISRB people expect a person to show remorse, guilt & that he/she take responsibility for a crime.

Once again, even if an innocent person does do that, then their release is still not guaranteed.

So how is it justified to keep people beyond their release date, regardless of innocence or guilt?

This not only happens in the USA, but overseas also…….

An example of how not admitting guilt can work against someone:

In 1986 a woman was murdered in the UK, an 18 year old Royal Naval Sailor named Michael Shirley was convicted & given life.

After 15 years Mr. Shirley could’ve been released if he admitted guilt to a parole board, but he refused to do that.

Mr. Shirley said: “I would have died in prison rather than admit something I didn’t do. I was prepared to stay in forever if necessary to prove my innocence.”

Eventually the court of appeals threw out Mr. Shirley’s conviction in 2003.

Thanks for your time!!!

http://www.jonathankeenangordon.name

Jonathan Gordon
DOC #793350