Senator Myrie Joins "Exonerated Five" Demand Action on Wrongful Convictions Bills

On the anniversary of the exoneration of five men wrongfully convicted in the Central Park Jogger case, Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Central Brooklyn) joined several of the "Exonerated Five," other elected officials and other wrongfully-convicted New Yorkers to call for passage of legislation to prevent and reveal wrongful convictions, making New York a more fair and just state.

The package of bills will:

• Ban deception in police interrogations (something police did in the Central Park jogger case and which is still legal) (S.324A Myrie/A.6570 Vanel)
• Allow people who have pleaded guilty the ability to get their cases back into court to prove their innocence without the benefit of DNA evidence, which is something other states allow (S.266 Myrie/A.98 Quart)
• Ensure youth under 18 are able to consult with counsel prior to waiving their Miranda rights (S.2800B Bailey/A.5891 Joyner)

"New York remains one of the easiest states in which to be wrongfully convicted, and one of the hardest to have that injustice rectified," said Senator Myrie. "Ending wrongful convictions will make our system more just and our streets more safe. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this critical legislation in 2022."