Today, the Indiana legislature recognized the importance of preventing wrongful convictions by passing Senate Bill 141 which will implement three nationally recognized practices for conducting eyewitness identifications and set guardrails for law enforcement’s use of facial recognition technology. We especially want to thank sponsors Senator Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) and Representative Greg Steuerwald (R-District 40) for their leadership on this important issue. While the final version excludes double blind administration, a key component of the Core Four practices that prevents unintentional suggestiveness or influence from law enforcement, Senate Bill 141 is a positive step towards improving the accuracy of eyewitness identifications in Indiana.
“I am proud of the work done by the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic and our partners, Americans for Prosperity Indiana, Indiana Public Defender Council, and Innocence Project, as well as exonerees like Leon Benson who relived his trauma and shared his story to prevent future miscarriages of justice. We look forward to the next legislative session when we will continue to advocate for policies and legislative reforms that prevent and address wrongful convictions. Now, we eagerly await Governor Braun signing the bill into law,” said Professor Jimmy Gurulé of the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic.
“With the passage of Senate Bill 141, Indiana adopted three of the the Core Four best practices for conducting eyewitness lineups which are already followed by 27 other states, the Department of Justice, and are recognized by leading organizations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), and American Bar Association. Senate Bill 141 will require law enforcement to provide witness instructions, ensure there are proper fillers, and document confidence statements when conducting eyewitness lineups. These measures are a step in the right direction and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with the legislature to guarantee that all best practices are one day implemented and Indiana maintains the highest standards of criminal justice," said Winnie Ye, State Policy Advocate, Innocence Project.
Media Contact: Gabe Edelman
617-447-0819 | gedelman@sloweymcmanus.com