Keep Talking Episode 14: Peter Neufeld - The Innocence Project
Peter Neufeld is a civil rights lawyer and the co-founder of the Innocence Project. During over conversation, Peter talks about how and why he and Barry Scheck created The Innocence Project, the importance of DNA testing in exonerating wrongly convicted citizens, common scientific and procedural errors that have been used to convict defendants, and how our culture might create a more fair and impartial criminal justice system.
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(0:00) Intro
(02:52) Peter shares what got him to found the Innocence Project
(06:07) What were the issues in society back when Peter started the Innocence Project?
(09:31) Peter shares what got him interested in law
(12:15) The story behind starting the Innocence Project
(18:41) Peter talks about his relationship with the Innocence Project co-founder, Barry Scheck
(20:57) Why and how scientists use DNA typing
(26:41) Peter’s thoughts on the systems that needed to be changed prior to founding the Innocence Project
(30:55) How DNA testing was used to exonerate innocent people or to potentially introduce incontrovertible evidence that proved a person’s innocence
(39:21) Peter talks about the emotional satisfaction he receives through his work. He also lists the first few cases that the Innocence Project took up
(46:43) How the Innocence Project accepted cases at its beginning, and how that evolved over the years
(51:46) How the Innocence Project has helped society at large
(55:01) What are the hurdles to achieving a more just criminal justice system?
(01:04:54) How Peter feels about the existing judicial system, and hope for improvement
(01:08:24) What are the ways normal people could try to help the Innocence Project
(01:14:35) What percentage of the population of convicted criminals, according to Peter, have likely been wrongly convicted?
(01:27:48) What's the right attitude to have as a citizen and juror?
(01:33:17) Some changes Peter wishes to see in America's criminal justice system