By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-840351.mp3
Dallas, TX – Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins is leading a last minute charge to get an eyewitness I-D reform bill passed by the Texas Legislature. KERA's BJ Austin the bill is in danger of being killed in the House in the final days of the Session.
The eyewitness I-D reform bill would require written photo lineup guidelines from each TX police agency. It's an effort to promote best practices:; among them; photo lineup presentation by an officer who is NOT working the case. That eliminates the possibility the investigator might influence the victim's selection. The state senate passed the bill unanimously but it's now attached to another bill, and faces a potentially fatal point of order on the House floor. Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins says 85% of the recent DNA exonerations were cases of wrongful identification.
Watkins: This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is not a conservative or liberal issue. This is an issue of Texas.
DNA tests have cleared 40 wrongfully convicted inmates in Texas - 20 of those from Dallas County.
Jenna Parker, with the Dallas County conviction integrity unit, says passing the eyewitness I-D reform bill is a no brainer.
Parker: Why fight something that could do so much good? You know, pass this bill. Don't put another innocent person in prison.
D-A Watkins calls on Texas lawmakers to step up.
Watkins: We are in a position to determine how justice will be dispensed, not just in Texas, but in the rest of the country. The eyes are on Texas.
Lawmakers adjourn on Monday.