Last week a Missouri Court of Appeals vacated the conviction of Ryan Ferguson. You might recall Ferguson as one of the two men accused in the 2001 murder of Columbia Daily Tribune Sports editor Kent Heitholt. In its legal opinion, the appeals court said the prosecution violated Ferguson’s due process rights by withholding favorable information from the defense team. In this case, it was an interview with the wife of a key witness that could have undermined her husband’s testimony. This type of evidence suppression or withholding, which is known as a Brady violation, may be more common than you think. A 1999 Chicago Tribune report on prosecutorial misconduct found that 381 homicide convictions were later vacated because “prosecutors hid evidence or allowed witnesses to lie.” Today on Intersection, we’ll take a closer look at Ryan Ferguson’s case, and learn more about Brady violations. Have a question? Send them our way by emailing [email protected]. You could also call us at (573) 882-8925 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:29:11 +0000
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