When wrongful convictions are not corrected, it undermines the integrity of our criminal legal system and everyday people pay the price.
SF3939/HF4045 helps ensure our system is fair and allows it to provide a remedy for those who have been wronged.
WHAT IS POSTCONVICTION RELIEF?
Postconviction Relief (PCR) is an important process that gives individuals an opportunity to challenge illegal and unconstitutional convictions (also referred to as “wrongful convictions''). Common reasons individuals make PCR claims include: newly discovered evidence, police or prosecutor misconduct, ineffective assistance of counsel, or a violation of a person’s constitutional rights. When wrongful convictions are not corrected, it undermines the integrity of our justice system and everyday people pay the price. PCR helps ensure our justice system is fair and allows our system to fix past mistakes.
THE PROBLEM
In MN law, a person convicted of a crime has only two years to file for postconviction relief. After two years, PCR may only be used if the prosecutor chooses to waive the time bar. In the case of Marvin Haynes, prosecutors chose to waive the two-year time bar and rehear his case only after decades of intensive advocacy and lobbying from family and community leaders. Marvin’s case is extremely uncommon. Most who are wrongfully convicted will never have the opportunity to prove their innocence after the two-year time bar has passed.
THE sOLUTION
For all those who have been wrongfully convicted, we need a more fair practice of PCR to ensure justice is served. Our solution: allow courts to provide an exception to the two-year time bar when the interest of justice is served. With this vision, people will no longer be at the mercy of individual prosecutors to waive the time bar and will instead have a fair opportunity to challenge their convictions. Our vision of PCR helps ensure that wrongful convictions are corrected and harm is limited. Read our bill here.
PCR IN THE CASE OF MARVIN HAYNES
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On May 19, 2004, 16-year old Marvin Haynes was arrested without the presence of a guardian. He was later found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no fingerprints, DNA, weapons, or other physical evidence indicating he had involvement in the crime.
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While Marvin was incarcerated for nearly two decades, his family and community leaders tried to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, they could not file a PCR claim because the 2-year time bar had already passed. They made a concerted effort to lobby prosecutors to waive the 2-year PCR time bar so Marvin could prove his innocence.
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Marvin was released after his case was reheard in court. His case was only heard because prosecutors waived the 2-year PCR time bar. People should not have to rely on discretionary waivers to challenge wrongful convictions.
PCR IN CRIME LABS CASE
In 2013, MN authorities shut down the St. Paul Police crime lab after finding significant contamination and fundamental mistakes within lab practices. State public defenders identified over 1,700 cases that qualify for PCR due to mishandling of evidence.
Mistakes like the mishandling of evidence are prime reasons why access to PCR is so critical. Unfortunately, strict time bars make it harder for these scandals to be discovered and have their day in court.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Minnesota’s two-year time bars limits many people from challenging their wrongful convictions. Often, individuals are not aware of the PCR process until the two-year time bar has passed. Additionally, there is frequently newly discovered evidence that could change the outcome of a case. Lastly, the time bar does not recognize that the consequences of a conviction may not become apparent until years or decades later.
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Minnesota’s time bar was added in 2005 and is one of the strictest in the region. Various states including Wisconsin, New York, and Massachusetts have no time bar.
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People are already filing PCR claims. Individuals who are innocent will continue to file for PCR regardless of the time bar. This bill simply gives people who have passed the current time bar an opportunity to have their case heard in court and for future cases to not be impacted by such a time bar.
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Wrongful convictions have damaging consequences for individuals, communities, and our entire justice system. These damaging consequences include:
Loss of freedom and life opportunities because of incarceration, separation from family, and inability to pursue career and education opportunities
Immigrants face double punishment and life-long family separation through detention and deportation after serving their sentence and facing consequences
Crime continues to occur by actual perpetrators who remain free while the innocent are found guilty
Families and loved ones are forced to endure significant emotional and financial hardship from the stress of separation, damage to their reputations & relationships, and loss of freedom
Integrity of the criminal justice system is undermined when illegal and unconstitutional convictions stand and are not corrected
