Yusef Salaam, member of Exonerated Five, leads New York City Council hearing on preventing wrongful convictions
NEW YORK -- The New York City Council Committee on Public Safety is looking into the NYPD's procedures and safeguards to prevent wrongful convictions.
Committee Chair Yusef Salaam was wrongfully convicted of rape in the 1989 Central Park jogger case.
"There is a moral necessity for police departments to examine their internal practices and ensure steps are taken to mitigate the risk of wrongful convictions," Salaam said at Monday's hearing.
"We have taken a variety of steps over the years to improve investigative procedures," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. "But we recognize the human element and that witnesses make mistakes. That is why we have strict procedures regarding witness identifications."
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Monday's hearing was the first of two focusing on how wrongful convictions happen in the criminal justice system and law enforcement's efforts to prevent them.