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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
25-112
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
September 19, 2023
To commemorate and recognize October 2nd, 2023, as International Wrongful Conviction Day
in the District of Columbia.
WHEREAS, International Wrongful Conviction Day was established on October 2, 2013,
by the Innocence Network to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful
convictions ;
WHEREAS, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, there have been 3,360
exonerations since 1989 in the United States;
WHEREAS, further according to the National Registry of Exonerations, 26 of the 3,360
individuals exonerated since 1989 were sentenced in the District;
WHEREAS, of the 26 people exonerated, all are men, 62% are Black, 23% are White,
and 8% are Hispanic;
WHEREAS, the personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful convictions are
immeasurable;
WHEREAS, psychological research shows that those who are wrongfully convicted
suffer mental health consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts,
anxiety, depression, institutionalization, and personality changes;
WHEREAS, the District is grateful to the attorneys who work to exonerate those who are
wrongfully convicted;
WHEREAS, the former Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court, Robert E. Morin, prior to
being a judge, advocated for over a decade as a defense lawyer specializing in death-penalty
cases;
WHEREAS, in 1993, Judge Morin represented Kirk N. Bloodsworth, an Eastern Shore
waterman who was freed from prison in 1993 after DNA evidence cleared him of the 1984 rape and murder of a 9- year-old Baltimore girl; ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, according to the Innocent Project, Kirk Bloodsworth was the first American
to be sentenced to death and then subsequently exonerated by DNA evidence;
WHEREAS, Kirk Bloodsworth is now a published author and an effective advocate for
the rights of those who are wrongfully convicted;
WHEREAS, the District of Columbia recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day
and thanks Judge Morin for his dedication to the residents of the District of Columbia and for
working to exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “International Wrongful Conviction Day Ceremonial Recognition
Resolution of 2023”.
Sec. 2. The Council recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day in the District of
Columbia and honors the important work of attorneys and organizations that work to end
wrongful convictions;
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.