Case Studies On Miscarriage Of Justice

06 Nov 2025 --
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The case of George Stinney Jr. (1944, USA)

Facts:
George Stinney Jr., a 14-year-old African-American boy, was accused of murdering two young white girls in South Carolina. The trial lasted only one day, and the jury deliberated for 10 minutes before convicting him. He was executed in the electric chair, making him the youngest person executed in the U.S. in the 20th century.

Legal Issues:

Denial of due process.

Lack of competent legal representation.

Coerced confessions and racial bias.

Judicial Findings:
In 2014, a South Carolina court vacated his conviction, ruling that he was denied a fair trial, had no proper counsel, and his confession was likely coerced.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Extreme racial prejudice.

Lack of legal safeguards for a minor.

Hasty trial without evidence scrutiny.

2. The case of the Birmingham Six (UK, 1974-1991)

Facts:
Six Irish men—Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power, and John Walker—were wrongfully convicted for the IRA bombings in Birmingham pubs, which killed 21 people and injured 182. They were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Legal Issues:

Forced confessions under police duress.

Suppression of evidence that could prove innocence.

Judicial Findings:
After 16 years in prison, new forensic evidence and investigations exposed that the police had falsified evidence. Their convictions were quashed in 1991.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Police misconduct and fabrication of evidence.

Failure of the justice system to protect the accused.

Public pressure and anti-IRA sentiment influenced judicial outcomes.

3. The case of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar (India, 1993-2013)

Facts:
Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar was convicted for the 1993 Delhi bomb blast that killed 9 people. He was sentenced to death.

Legal Issues:

Allegations of torture and forced confession.

Delay in trial and appeals violating the right to speedy trial.

Questions regarding the authenticity of evidence.

Judicial Findings:
The Supreme Court of India initially upheld the death sentence but later commuted it to life imprisonment in 2014, recognizing procedural irregularities and human rights concerns.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Reliance on confessions extracted under duress.

Delay in judicial process affecting fairness.

4. The case of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (USA, 1966-1985)

Facts:
Rubin Carter, a professional boxer, was accused of triple homicide in New Jersey. He was convicted in 1967, largely based on eyewitness testimony.

Legal Issues:

Witnesses gave inconsistent statements.

Evidence of racial bias and police misconduct.

Judicial Findings:
After spending 19 years in prison, Carter’s conviction was overturned in 1985. Judge H. Lee Sarokin ruled that the prosecution had relied on racist motives and withheld exculpatory evidence.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Racial prejudice affecting investigation and trial.

Suppression of evidence favorable to the defendant.

5. The case of Anthony Porter (USA, 1982-1999)

Facts:
Anthony Porter was sentenced to death in Illinois for a double murder. He spent nearly 17 years on death row.

Legal Issues:

Conviction based on eyewitness testimony and false confession.

New investigation by journalism students uncovered flaws in evidence.

Judicial Findings:
Porter was released in 1999 after a new suspect confessed, and it became clear that the original conviction was entirely unsafe.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Reliance on unreliable witnesses.

Lack of proper investigation.

Systemic flaws in the death penalty process.

6. The case of Lindy Chamberlain (Australia, 1980s)

Facts:
Lindy Chamberlain was accused of murdering her baby, Azaria, who disappeared at Uluru. She claimed a dingo took the baby. She was convicted and jailed for wrongful murder.

Legal Issues:

Misinterpretation of forensic evidence.

Public hysteria and media influence.

Judicial Findings:
After 3 years in prison, further evidence showed that a dingo was responsible. Lindy Chamberlain was exonerated in 1988.

Reason for Miscarriage:

Bias from public and police.

Forensic misjudgment.

Ignoring plausible alternative explanations.