NCJ Number
125423
Date Published
1989
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report examines the legal and demographic characteristics of 33 convicted murderers who were released from New York State correctional facilities, had their sentences vacated, and were remanded for new trials.
Abstract
The findings show that at their retrials, 79 percent were convicted of lesser offenses, 15 percent were acquitted, and 6 percent were never reindicted and were released without retrial. The mean time from prison reception to sentence vacation was 30 months. Suspect witness identification, confessions, and more substantial involvement of co-defendants were reasons for the sentence vacations. The offenders' demographic characteristics described include gender, ethnicity, and age; legal characteristics include prior arrests, prior convictions, prior imprisonments; and parole or probation experiences. 7 tables, 1 appendix.