Some thoughts and reading recommendations — During the first week of my classes, I always talk about frames of reference. I share with my students elements of my own background. My own history. This typically includes personal characteristics; that I’m a white, heterosexual, cisgender man. But I also tell them that my life has been split…

Another state execution despite doubts about guilt — Yesterday, Missouri executed Walter Barton via lethal injection for the 1991 killing of his former landlord, 81-year-old Gladys Kuehler. An execution in the Midwest would not typically be newsworthy on a broad scale, but Barton’s execution has captured the national consciousness. Of course, these are not normal times. Barton…

Courageous, yet conflicting, messages from the hit film — *Note: This essay contains major spoilers for Joker. Read at your own risk In the climactic scene from Joker, the classic villain finally makes his long-awaited appearance on Murray Franklin’s television show. For the titular character, it was a long time coming. See, for most of the film, Joaquin Phoenix…

In 2019, are there still two sides to this debate? — After a sixteen-year hiatus, the Trump Administration announced that the Federal government will resume executions in late 2019 and early 2020, reinvigorating the public and political discourse around capital punishment. Support for the decision is mixed, but a few things are clear. First, in the democratized world, the death penalty…

An innocence scholar explores what we can learn from the hit Netflix series — On May 31, Netflix premiered a new show called When They See Us, a four-episode series depicting the injustice of the Central Park Jogger case. The show became an overnight cultural phenomenon. …

Donald Trump claims to be the subject of a witch hunt, but history may suggest otherwise. — Donald Trump was back at it again, releasing a fury of tweets denouncing an illegal and expensive “witch hunt” carried out by Democrats. This, of course, is nothing new for the President, whose claims to victimhood in this “witch hunt” have been a common refrain. My focus…

Compensation for the wrongly convicted has been in the news recently. Just over a week ago, Indiana became the 34th state to pass a… — Compensation for the wrongly convicted has been in the news recently. Just over a week ago, Indiana became the 34th state to pass a compensation law for exonerees — those found to be innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. That’s great — it really is. For a…

A few days ago, the New York Times ran a story about the case of Sedley Alley, who convicted and sentenced to death for a 1985 rape and… — A few days ago, the New York Times ran a story about the case of Sedley Alley, who convicted and sentenced to death for a 1985 rape and murder in Tennessee. Alley was executed in 2006 and now his daughter, April, has petitioned the court to test DNA evidence from…