A New Tool for Determining Factual Innocence: Massachusetts' Post-Conviction Access to Forensic and Scientific Analysis

Abstract

This brief article is the first of a two part series analyzing Massachusetts General Law Chapter 278A, which provides a mechanism for persons who claim they are factually innocent of crimes for which they were convicted to obtain testing and analysis to show this. This part outlines the background and legislative history of the bill that became Chapter 278A, and examines the procedure the Act establishes.

Keywords: Innocence, Post-Conviction, Criminal, Forensic and Scientific, DNA