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District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0112

District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0112 Compare Versions

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1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
21 1
3-
4-
5-
6-A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
7-
8-25-112
9-
10-IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11-
12-September 19, 2023
13-
14-To commemorate and recognize October 2nd, 2023, as International Wrongful Conviction Day
15-in the District of Columbia.
16-
17-WHEREAS, International Wrongful Conviction Day was established on October 2, 2013,
18-by the Innocence Network to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful
19-convictions ;
20-
21-WHEREAS, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, there have been 3,360
22-exonerations since 1989 in the United States;
23-
24-WHEREAS, further according to the National Registry of Exonerations, 26 of the 3,360
25-individuals exonerated since 1989 were sentenced in the District;
26-
27-WHEREAS, of the 26 people exonerated, all are men, 62% are Black, 23% are White,
28-and 8% are Hispanic;
29-
30-WHEREAS, the personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful convictions are
31-immeasurable;
32-
33-WHEREAS, psychological research shows that those who are wrongfully convicted
34-suffer mental health consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts,
35-anxiety, depression, institutionalization, and personality changes;
36-
37-WHEREAS, the District is grateful to the attorneys who work to exonerate those who are
38-wrongfully convicted;
39-
40-WHEREAS, the former Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court, Robert E. Morin, prior to
41-being a judge, advocated for over a decade as a defense lawyer specializing in death-penalty
42-cases;
43-
44-WHEREAS, in 1993, Judge Morin represented Kirk N. Bloodsworth, an Eastern Shore
45-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
46- 2
47-
48-WHEREAS, according to the Innocent Project, Kirk Bloodsworth was the first American
49-to be sentenced to death and then subsequently exonerated by DNA evidence;
50-
51-WHEREAS, Kirk Bloodsworth is now a published author and an effective advocate for
52-the rights of those who are wrongfully convicted;
53-
54-WHEREAS, the District of Columbia recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day
55-and thanks Judge Morin for his dedication to the residents of the District of Columbia and for
56-working to exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted.
57-
58-RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
59-resolution may be cited as the “International Wrongful Conviction Day Ceremonial Recognition
60-Resolution of 2023”.
61-
62-Sec. 2. The Council recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day in the District of
63-Columbia and honors the important work of attorneys and organizations that work to end
64-wrongful convictions;
65-
66-Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
2+_______________________________ _____________________________ 1
3+Chairman Phil Mendelson Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
4+ 3
5+ 4
6+ 5
7+______________________________ _____________________________ 6
8+Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 7
9+ 8
10+ 9
11+ 10
12+______________________________ ______________________________ 11
13+Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 12
14+ 13
15+ 14
16+ 15
17+______________________________ ______________________________ 16
18+Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 17
19+ 18
20+ 19
21+ 20
22+______________________________ ______________________________ 21
23+Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Brooke Pinto 22
24+ 23
25+ 24
26+ 25
27+______________________________ ______________________________ 26
28+Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Christina Henderson 27
29+ 28
30+ 29
31+ 30
32+ ______________________________ 31
33+ Councilmember Matthew Frumin 32
34+ 33
35+ 34
36+ 35
37+A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 36
38+ 37
39+______ 38
40+ 39
41+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 40
42+ 41
43+__________________ 42
44+ 43
45+To commemorate and recognize October 2nd, 2023, as International Wrongful Conviction Day 44
46+in the District of Columbia. 45
47+ 46 2
48+WHEREAS, International Wrongful Conviction Day was established on October 2, 2013, 47
49+by the Innocence Network to raise awareness of the causes and remedies of wrongful 48
50+convictions ; 49
51+WHEREAS, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, there have been 3,360 50
52+exonerations since 1989 in the United States; 51
53+WHEREAS, further according to the National Registry of Exonerations, 26 of the 3,360 52
54+individuals exonerated since 1989 were sentenced in the District, 53
55+WHEREAS, of the 26 people exonerated, all are men, 62% are Black, 23% are White, 54
56+and 8% are Hispanic; 55
57+WHEREAS, the personal, social, and emotional costs of wrongful convictions are 56
58+immeasurable; 57
59+WHEREAS, psychological research shows that those who are wrongfully convicted 58
60+suffer mental health consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts, 59
61+anxiety, depression, institutionalization, and personality changes; 60
62+WHEREAS, the District is grateful to the attorneys who work to exonerate those who are 61
63+wrongfully convicted; 62
64+WHEREAS, the former Chief Judge of the DC Superior Court, Robert E. Morin, prior to 63
65+being a judge, advocated for over a decade as a defense lawyer specializing in death-penalty 64
66+cases; 65
67+WHEREAS, in 1993, Judge Morin represented Kirk N. Bloodsworth, an Eastern Shore 66
68+waterman who was freed from prison in 1993 after DNA evidence cleared him of the 1984 rape 67
69+and murder of a 9- year-old Baltimore girl; 68 3
70+WHEREAS, according to the Innocence Project, Kirk Bloodsworth was the first 69
71+American to be sentenced to death and then subsequently exonerated by DNA evidence; 70
72+WHEREAS, Kirk Bloodsworth is now a published author and an effective advocate for 71
73+the rights of those who are wrongfully convicted; 72
74+WHEREAS, the District of Columbia recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day 73
75+and thanks Judge Morin for his dedication to the residents of the District of Columbia and for 74
76+working to exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted; 75
77+RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 76
78+resolution may be cited as the “International Wrongful Conviction Day Ceremonial Recognition 77
79+Resolution of 2023”. 78
80+Sec. 2. The Council recognizes International Wrongful Conviction Day in the District of 79
81+Columbia and honors the important work of attorneys and organizations that work to end 80
82+wrongful convictions. 81
83+Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 82
84+the District of Columbia Register. 83