Guilty Until Proven Innocent - Michele Ruyters

About the Guest:

Michele Ruyters is an Associate Dean of Criminology and Justice Studies at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) and the founder and director of the Criminal Case Review Project. With a significant focus on wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice, Michele has dedicated her career to the legal system, advocating for the innocent and examining the intricacies of criminal justice. Michele also set up the Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative at RMIT, which scrutinizes miscarriages of justice by delving into cases from their origins and enlisting resources to factually establish innocence.

Key Takeaways:

• The presumption of innocence in criminal justice is often challenged by systemic limitations, human biases, and resource shortages.
• Wrongful convictions can stem from a variety of issues, such as withholding evidence, incorrect eyewitness accounts, and flawed defense strategies.
• Michele Ruyters's Innocence Initiative at RMIT goes beyond the courtroom to investigate the full scope of potential miscarriages of justice, aiming to factually prove innocence.
• High-profile cases like that of Kelly Lane highlight the impacts of media influence and gender biases on legal proceedings, challenging societal perceptions of justice.
• The legal appeals process is fraught with challenges that often make it difficult for wrongfully convicted individuals to achieve exoneration.

Notable Quotes:

• "After watching that documentary, I just realized that's what I want to do."
• "A mother involved… they think, okay, she took this the next step and accepted on that basis."
• "Our aim is to factually prove that the person is innocent."
• "It is never everything that is to be known about the case."
• "We have the good bare bones of a justice system, but there's not enough time and resources."

 

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