Project Innocence Suffers SEC Neglect

The victims of wrongful conviction have suffered already from our system's failures. It appears they are about to get another hit from the opponents of regulation and law. The demise of Bernard Makoff's ponzi scheme has hit them with huge losses, as Project Innocence was largely funded by JEHT, which has been wiped out.

Panic ensued at the Innocence Project of Texas when a powerful Wall Street investor was arrested this month and accused of swindling investors out of $50 billion.

One of the organizations that had invested with Bernard Madoff was the JEHT Foundation, which funds post-conviction DNA tests for Dallas County inmates who claim they are innocent. Without the funding, the Innocence Project would be faced with trying to raise capital in a bad economy and those seeking tests could face indefinite delays, if the testing could be done at all.

But after a few days of concern, Innocence Project officials realized the money received so far – about $400,000 – was theirs to keep, said the organization's executive director Natalie Roetzel. And while additional money promised for computers, staff and investigations won't make its way to the Innocence Project, Ms. Roetzel said, "I think it's going to turn out OK."

Both Ms. Roetzel and Dallas County First Assistant District Attorney Terri Moore said there probably are enough funds to complete all the DNA testing.

If not, Ms. Roetzel said, they will seek other grants and hold private fundraisers.

"The money should get us through what needs to be tested," said Ms. Moore.
(snip)
Just before Mr. Madoff's arrest, the JEHT Foundation was in talks with Dallas County to give as much as $15 million to fund programs with the district attorney's office and the probation department.

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins said the talks had not advanced to specifics but said the foundation was committed to giving more money.

"That hurt," said Mr. Watkins. "That hurt."

Dallas has the highest number of releases, but Project Innocence has many other places needing its justice healing activities.

In February, DNA testing and a confession by another suspect confirmed that Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks, both convicted in the early 1990s for sep­arate child murders in Noxubee County, (Mississippi) were innocent. But during trial, West had testified that multiple marks on the victims’ bodies were bite marks, which he then matched to the men. That testi­mony has been proven false, says Peter Neufeld, Innocence Project co-director.

Large numbers of charitable investments were lost in the Makoff wipe-out. There are lawsuits in the early stages against a number of them. Those entrusted with funds are never supposed to invest in one firm alone, and it appears that this cardinal law was violated by a number of charities whose directors became enamored of Makoff's consistent high returns.

The SEC appears to be among that number. While not supposed to be a charity, it has acted as if it were. It is a recipient of U.S. taxpayer charitable funds, since it is not doing the job it should be earning that amount to do.

You can help Project Innocence continue its work here. It should have been receiving millions to defend the innocent. We, the innocent taxpayers, are losing even more.

*****************************************************

Also found this morning that those losing their jobs because of disability are faced with a two-year wait before they can start receiving Medicare. For many that means they are going without treatment, sometimes badly needed. This makes no sense.

While most of the 40 million Americans covered under Medicare are age 65 and older, nearly 6 million qualify because of severe and permanent disabilities. Unlike older Americans, who typically enroll and become eligible for coverage within months of turning age 65, disabled beneficiaries must wait two years before their coverage takes effect. Many who are in the waiting period face enormous problems. In this study, researchers talked to these individuals in focus groups and through in-depth telephone interviews. Participants reported skipping medications, putting off needed care, feeling depressed and anxious about the future, and believing they were not in control of their own lives. To alleviate their plight, the researchers recommend that Congress eliminate the waiting period, expand Medicaid eligibility, and subsidize COBRA insurance coverage. Beneficiaries also need better, more consistent information regarding their options for accessing health care and coverage.

How do government programs get so screwy? Lobbyists descend on the legislators to bend authorizing legislation as much to their demands, and as little to actual public need, as they can manage.

26 days more.