Prosecutor Apologies For Death Row Conviction

A very important article was recently published in the Shreveport (Louisiana) Times, written by former prosecutor Attorney A.M.“Marty” Stroud II. In 1984 Mr Stroud’s work as a district attorney lead to the conviction of Glen Ford on first-degree murder. Mr Ford was subsequently sentenced to death. In 2014, new evidence showed Mr Ford’s innocence, and he was exonerated. In the article, former prosector Stroud argues that the State of Louisiana must compensate Mr Ford for his long years behind bars on death row. According to Mr Stroud,

Glenn Ford should be completely compensated to every extent possible because of the flaws of a system that effectively destroyed his life. The audacity of the state’s effort to deny Mr. Ford any compensation for the horrors he suffered in the name of Louisiana justice is appalling.

What really struck me about this article was the courage of a former prosecutor — who has come to grips with the fact that an innocent man spent three decades in jail because he was blinded by his own arrogance and competitive motivation to win. It’s a clear reminder that we must tread lightly in a vicious system of justice where our egos and emotions can often blind us to the hidden reality of the truth that may only be unveiled after we strip ourselves of our attachments to our egos, our arrogance and competitive edge.