Title of hearing is “Justice for All: Convicting the Guilty and Exonerating the Innocent”

(DALLAS, TX – March 20, 2012) – Dallas County Criminal District Attorney (DA) Craig Watkins has been invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing title “Justice for All: Convicting the Guilty and Exonerating the Innocent.”  The hearing is scheduled to begin on March 21, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. EST in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building located in Washington, D.C.

DA Watkins will be allowed a five-minute opening statement before Senators ask him additional questions.  He will share information about his administration’s Conviction Integrity Unit along with legislative changes that have been made as a result of lessons learned from Dallas County’s 27 exonerations.

“It is indeed an honor to be invited to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on this critical issue,” said Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins.  “In Dallas County, we know first-hand how important it is to ensure that justice is served.  It means knowing with absolute certainty that we have the actual perpetrator when we ask a jury to convict someone of a crime.  It also means doing whatever is necessary to correct the failures of the past when we discover someone was wrongfully convicted and exonerating the innocent.   I am hopeful that my testimony will aid our legislators in recognizing the need to support continued improvements to our criminal justice system on a national level, as I am certain that neither Dallas County nor Texas is unique when it comes to this issue.”