Expand Access to Post-Conviction DNA Testing in Michigan

HB 5271 would promote justice in Michigan by expanding access to post-conviction DNA testing for individuals who pleaded guilty under pressure and those who were convicted after the arbitrary cutoff threshold of 2001. Post-conviction DNA testing is an essential lifeline for the wrongly convicted to regain their freedom and return to their lives. Since 1989, DNA analysis has contributed to the exoneration of 633 innocent Americans. In Michigan, 18 people have been exonerated with the aid of DNA evidence, after serving an average of over 15 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. Despite these important victories, steep eligibility requirements for post-conviction DNA testing still impose barriers to access in several states, lowering overall rates of exoneration and preventing wrongly convicted people from obtaining justice.