The Stress of Convictions Can Lead to Mistakes

Posted on April 24, 2008
Filed Under Criminal Law |

A Buena Park man was recently awarded over $30,000 for being convicted of a serious crime he didn’t commit.  James Ochoa was convicted of a felony, car-jacking, by very controversial methods, and spent 10-months in jail.  It was only on appeal that he was able to deal with the false conviction and become reunited with his wife and child.

The challenge of being falsely convicted is that even after exoneration, the stigma of being thought a criminal or spending time in jail is hard to erase.  In this particular case, the police ignored DNA evidence and used a scent lifting technique to track down the perpetrator; the blood hound they used led them to Ochoa’s apartment.  The judge in the case threatened Ochoa with a life sentence if convicted, so Ochoa pleaded guilty even though he knew he was innocent.

Dealing with wrongful imprisonment and wrongful conviction on felonies can be very tricky, especially in cases that are either highly emotional or very public.  The police and the courts often feel compelled to convict someone and ease the tension within the community in order to reassure them.  However, having an attorney skilled enough to deal with such challenges is vital. 

Felonies are often counted as strikes in California’s three-strike laws.  Having an attorney skilled at not only handling a false conviction but removing the strike from your record can be crucial further on down the line.

Written by Joe M

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