Why do defendants plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit?
A national team of journalists investigates.
Two brothers, two choices: A plea bargain’s toll on the innocent
Henry and Juan Johnson, wrongly convicted of murder, won a new trial after 11 years in prison. The prosecutor offered to let them walk free — but only if they pleaded guilty.
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Mental disabilities cast doubt on defendants’ guilty pleas
Defendants with mental disabilities may be unable to understand the nature of court proceedings. But judges are often reluctant to act even when evidence of innocence emerges.
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One innocent man gets six years for murder, while another gets life
A Virginia case shows the high cost of taking a plea deal -- and the higher cost of turning it down.
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