New York Governor Signs Prosecutorial Conduct Commission Legislation (Aug. 20, 2018)
Nevada, U.S.
For Immediate Release: August 21, 2018 11:00am Pacific
Contact: restorativejusticeinternational@charter.net
Restorative Justice International (RJI) today praised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for his leadership in signing legislation creating the first-ever in the nation prosecutorial conduct commission which will take steps to hold prosecutors accountable in cases of wrongful convictions. RJI was in strong support of the legislation working with the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation and others who have been wrongfully convicted and exonerated.
RJI supported the legislation authored by Senator John DeFrancisco and Assemblymember Nick Perry because of its work with those wrongfully convicted including Jeffrey Deskovic, Greg Wilhoit, and other innocent individuals in the United States who have served long prison sentences for crimes they did not commit. “RJI supported this important legislation creating a prosecutorial commission because no crime victim wants an innocent person doing time in prison for crimes he did not commit, ” said Lisa Rea, President. “Our justice system has created more victims in this nation by ignoring wrongful convictions while at the same time often not finding the real offender who committed the crime ,” Ms. Rea added. “Governor Cuomo today has shown that he understands the need for deep systemic justice reform to ensure that the justice system truly works for all Americans and that no prosecutor is above the law. We believe this legislation will become a model for the nation,” she said.
Restorative Justice International is a national and global association and leader in justice reform with 6000 members and affiliates working for victims-driven restorative justice, a new vision for reform that puts crime victims in the center of the system. Restorative justice stresses the need for offender accountability and seeks ways to restore victims of crime and communities also injured by crime while transforming the lives of offenders. RJI told Jeffrey Deskovic’s story via a RJI podcast where they first discussed the New York legislation. Deskovic was arrested and convicted at 16 years of age for a rape and murder he did not commit serving 16 years in a New York state prison until his exoneration in 2006.
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