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Marty Tankleff, wrongfully convicted of murdering his parents as a teenager, spent nearly 18 years in prison due to an unsigned confession that he alleged was coerced, alongside missed evidence pointing to a possible alternative suspect. After his release in 2007, he became an advocate for criminal justice reform and is currently a law professor at Georgetown University. He supports the 2020 changes to New York's discovery laws, which require prosecutors to share evidence with defendants in a timely manner, facilitating informed defense strategies.
However, Governor Kathy Hochul is advocating for changes to these discovery laws, claiming they need to be “streamlined” to avoid case dismissals on technicalities. These proposed changes would reduce penalties for late evidence sharing, limit the materials prosecutors must provide to those "relevant" to a case, and impose tighter deadlines on defense teams for raising concerns. Critics, including Tankleff and over 80 legal professionals, argue that these proposals would significantly weaken the reforms and return to a lack of transparency that can lead to wrongful convictions.
Prosecutors argue that the current discovery requirements lead to dismissals based on minor oversights, suggesting that adjustments are necessary. Nonetheless, opponents warn that Hochul's proposals could erode the progress made in ensuring fair trials since the reforms were enacted in 2020, particularly highlighting concerns about protecting defendants’ rights and the potential for unjust outcomes. The debate continues in the state legislature, with mixed responses from lawmakers regarding the proposals.
Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to "streamline" NY's discovery law. Some say she's trying to kill it | WRVO Public Media
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