Peter Neufeld
Peter Neufeld
Full Name and Common Aliases
Peter Neufeld is a prominent American advocate for wrongful conviction reform.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on 1949, exact date not publicly available, no reported death date.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Neufeld is an American lawyer specializing in wrongful convictions, working as the co-founder of the Innocence Project, a leading organization dedicated to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals through DNA testing.
Early Life and Background
Growing up, Neufeld was exposed to social justice issues due to his involvement with his father's civil rights advocacy. This exposure instilled in him a strong desire to fight for human rights and fairness. Neufeld pursued a career in law to create meaningful change.
Major Accomplishments
Neufeld co-founded the Innocence Project in 1992, alongside Barry Scheck, a renowned lawyer specializing in wrongful conviction cases. The organization has since become a leading force in using DNA evidence to prove innocence and reform the justice system. Under Neufeld's leadership, the Innocence Project has:
Successfully secured the release of over 350 wrongly convicted individuals
Developed the National Registry of Exonerations, providing comprehensive data on wrongful convictions
Influenced policy changes in many states, including the implementation of DNA testing and post-conviction review processesNotable Works or Actions
Neufeld has been instrumental in shaping the Innocence Project's mission and direction. He has:
Collaborated with law enforcement agencies to implement reforms and improve investigative techniques
Testified before Congress on issues related to wrongful convictions and DNA testing
Authored several publications, including articles and books, to raise awareness about the issue of wrongful conviction
Impact and Legacy
Neufeld's work has significantly contributed to the exoneration of hundreds of wrongly convicted individuals. His dedication to reforming the justice system has inspired countless advocates and professionals working towards a more equitable society.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Peter Neufeld is widely recognized for his tireless efforts in combating wrongful convictions. His expertise, passion, and commitment to justice have made him a respected figure in the legal community.
Quotes by Peter Neufeld
(The head of the crime lab) was committing perjury in criminal cases where he would intentionally misrepresent scientific data to help prosecutors get a conviction, even when he knew that that data was false.
The truth is if you speak to crime lab directors, they will tell you that in only a relatively small number of cases is there any DNA evidence.
The Innocence Project is thrilled to be the beneficiary of the band's generosity. The wave of post conviction DNA exonerations sends a message to all of us that the criminal justice system is broken and desperately needs to be fixed. Thank you Nine Inch Nails for joining us in the quest for meaningful justice.
In most of our cases, the critical biological evidence has either been lost or destroyed.
sloppy identification procedures that were utilized by the police, the same kind of procedures that are utilized by the police in Memphis, all over Tennessee, and frankly, all over the United States today.
I've got some good news for you, but first, I need to ask you a question, ... How do you feel about still pursuing your innocence?
There's an old saying that the absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence.
DNA evidence has revealed a finite but troubling class of convictions tainted by what is best described as 'false facts': forensic evidence that likely carried great weight with the original jury, but which is now known, to a scientific certainty, to have been erroneous.
But more importantly, 90 percent of cases don't even involve biological evidence. And what that tells us is there are obviously tens of thousands of innocent people currently languishing in prisons in the United States.
Today we got one answer, and one man can not speak for the correctness of verdicts in a thousand other capital cases.