Summary
The new interim chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), Dame Vera Baird, is committed to reforming the organization. Her goal is to increase public confidence, especially after cases like Andrew Malkinson's wrongful conviction, which highlighted failures in the system. Dame Vera plans to conduct a thorough review and address any issues within the CCRC.
Key Facts
- Dame Vera Baird is the new interim chair of the CCRC as of Tuesday.
- The CCRC reviews cases where there may have been a miscarriage of justice.
- Dame Vera aims to reform the CCRC and improve public trust in its work.
- Andrew Malkinson was wrongfully jailed for 17 years for rape; his case was mishandled by the CCRC.
- Malkinson's conviction was overturned in July 2023 after new evidence emerged.
- A review found the CCRC failed to act on Malkinson's case, potentially prolonging his imprisonment.
- Dame Vera plans to look into similar cases and communicate with the CCRC's chief executive.
- The CCRC is doing an internal review of cases involving DNA evidence to avoid similar issues.
