Conviction integrity unit established in Columbia County

COLUMBIA COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Columbia County District Attorney has established a conviction integrity unit. Defendants in the area who believe they're wrongfully convicted can seek a review of their conviction through the integrity unit.

A defendant or family member can complete a form online which will be reviewed by the Conviction Integrity Unity. From there, the unit will tell the defendant action will be taken if there's infirmity found, or if the conviction stands.

According to the Columbia County District Attorney's Office, 14 of 62 counties in New York have established Conviction Integrity Units as of November 2023. Ten of them have found exonerations.

“We are here to seek justice in all cases,” District Attorney Chris Liberati-Conant said. “A wrongful
conviction means not only that a person must be exonerated, but that we must identify and prosecute the true culprit and attain real justice for crime victims. Even in the absence of wrongdoing, innocent people can be convicted of crimes they did not commit. As prosecutors, it is our moral, ethical, and legal obligation to correct any such errors.”