30 years for rape? I know I think it's too low in france when people get 6 years and serve only 3, but 30 is a bit much... especially since he wasn't at the end of his term, just "found" innocent ^^

Was the guy black?

You're the second person to try to make my statement racist. You're wrong on a few points.

1. You said DNA would have set him free in the 1980's. DNA evidence wasn't nearly as developed or used as much as it is today. And you ignored the fact this happened in 1979.

(From HowStuffWorks.com) The techniques that make it possible to identify a suspect using his or her unique genetic blueprint have only been around since 1985. That's when Alec Jeffreys and his colleagues in England first demonstrated the use of DNA in a criminal investigation. Since then, DNA evidence has played a bigger and bigger role in many nations' criminal justice systems.

2. I never said white men can't be convicted. Don't try to put words into my mouth. The chance of a black men being thrown into jail on false or bad evidence compared to white men was much higher in that time. That's a common sense issue.

3.You saying his race had nothing to do with him being locked up for 30 years is just a dumb statement. I won't even bother responding to that point.

4. I said black men because the guy was obviously black.

Dayum, I'd be pissed. Pretty badly. 30 years is a large chunk of your life. Granted he got free lodge and food, and came out with 2.4M, still, I don't think it was worth it in the end. Awesome dude for sticking to his innocence and refusing to accept the crime he did not commit, even when freedom was dangled in front of his face!

If a white man raped this women, or this woman wasn't raped at all, then I would say that the conviction of a black man could be seen as an act of systemic racism ... If a black man raped this women, even if it wasn't this man in particular, I would say that you would need substantially more evidence to make a claim like that.

While it may not be racism, he shouldn't of been convicted bases solely on her picking him out in a lineup (especially considering that the guy who was with her did not also pick him out). The woman was traumatised and probably was probably angry and wanted to put someone in jail for what had happened to her. Not to mention that white people are generally unable to observe the subtle differences in the appearence of black people (and vice versa), making lineups ineffective.

As someone had said, To Kill a Mockingbird IRL.

Man I remember that book, had to write a whole paper on it, bad times.

He should get a good lawyer and get much more money.

Yet another reason to end the death penalty in TX and all US states were it hasn't already been stopped or suspended.  There are likely lots of innocent people in jail, including all of the non-violent drug offenders that are in jail or on parole.

I don't believe so. I'll have to double check.