Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law

We are now on Bluesky! Follow us at bsky.app/profile/wilson….

Our North Carolina friends are asking the state to safely release folks in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, just as it did during the pandemic. No running water or sewage in many facilities. Understaffing. Overcrowding. Poor conditions affect everyone. newsobserver.com/news/state/nor…

New video from the New York Times shows the heavy and sometimes hidden impacts of fines and fees in the criminal legal system from the New York Times: nytimes.com/2024/10/16/opi… You can read more about fines, fees & collateral consequences on our website: wcsj.law.duke.edu/projects/reduc….

New report from @WilsonCSJ_, co-authored by Duke Psychiatry's Dr. Marvin Swartz, explores alternatives to police transport in involuntary civil commitment ⤵️

Check out the latest from the Wilson Center in our October Newsletter! mailchi.mp/law/october2024

A new Duke University report underscores the position of disability advocates: non-law enforcement transport for involuntary commitment works well & should be the default, not the exception. #NCGA funding is key. #NCPOL @NASWNC @NAMINCarolina @NCPsychological @ncpsychiatry

For too many people experiencing mental illness, cries for help bring police & handcuffs. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Our latest report: Changing the Route: Seeking Compassionate Alternatives to Police Transport in Involuntary Civil Commitment. wcsj.law.duke.edu/news/new-wilso…

BREAKING: The Supreme Court of Texas has stayed #RobertRoberson’s Oct. 17 execution.

FAMM Senior Policy Advisor @MCharles615 and I sent a letter to North Carolina Governor @RoyCooperNC asking him to exercise his clemency power to the fullest extent during his remaining time in office. Read more in @charobs. #ClemencyNow charlotteobserver.com/news/local/cri… @wilsonscience

On this #WrongfulConvictionDay, check out our new report. Since 1989, a known 75 North Carolinians have lost 963 years to wrongful conviction. Learn more about how wrongful convictions occur and how NC can prevent them at wcsj.law.duke.edu/news/new-repor…

Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams should be alive today. In a country that aspires to fulfill the promise of equal justice under law, there should be no place for the death penalty, a barbaric anachronism that does nothing to keep people safe. ballsandstrikes.org/legal-culture/…

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2024 National Convening—Hope In Action: Charting A Bold Path Forward! Over the past few days, we’ve come together to inspire change, share powerful stories, and continue our fight to end life without parole for children.

@andrewjhundley @paroleproject “We can’t make progress in the south with theory, we need to start with the stories,” Ben Finholt of @WilsonCSJ_. “And where we have most had success amplifying success stories, family advocates lead the way,” Eric adds.

Our Just Sentencing Project Ben Finholt speaks today at @theCFSY convening on the role courts can have in reducing JLWOP. Ben notes that courts can shift from a punitive mindset & that there is a corrosive effect on kids & families when courts tell kids they can’t ever be better.

Over thirty were exonerated by post-conviction DNA testing. It is entirely possible, if not likely, that Mr. Williams should have been one of those people. We mourn his execution and grieve for his family. 4/4

The imposition of the death penalty is used disproportionately against Black people and in poorer counties. Two hundred people have been exonerated in death penalty cases in the United States. 3/4

We are deeply saddened and disturbed that the state of Missouri executed Marcellus “Khalifa” Williams yesterday evening, over the wishes of the prosecutor’s office. The Missouri Governor, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, & SCOTUS all failed to act to prevent this tragedy. 1/4

We wish we had better news. But as of now, #MarcellusWilliams is still scheduled to be executed by Missouri tonight at 6 p.m. central for a crime he is totally innocent of. ⁠ Don’t stop sharing his story. It’s not too late to save an innocent life.⁠ innocenceproject.org/petitions/stop…