Another innocent man is free in Texas. Ernest Sonnier was released from custody on Friday after DNA testing implicated two different men in the 1986 rape for which Sonnier was convicted.The release of Ernest Sonnier is just the latest case that highlights the ongoing problem of wrongful convictions in Texas.

George Rodriguez is seeking justice. In 2004, DNA testing exonerated Rodriguez for the 1987 abduction and sexual assault he had been convicted of seventeen years earlier. During his trial, a Houston Police forensic analyst testified that biological evidence pointed to Rodriguez’s guilt; it was later discovered that the analyst lied. Forensic science is not flawless, and its use in the criminal justice system is in great need of reform. To ensure a more fair and accurate criminal justice system, it is critical to improve the reliability, objectivity, and independence of forensic analysis and forensic expert testimony in criminal investigations and trials.

Last week, Senator Jim Webb of Virginia introduced The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009—an important piece of legislation with broad bi-partisan support that would create a commission to “look at every aspect of our criminal justice system with an eye toward reshaping the process from top to bottom.” However, as written, the bill does not call for an examination of our criminal justice system at the front end, to see whether or not we convict and incarcerate individuals using a fair, accurate, and efficient process.

The Justice Project has published a new report on Texas wrongful convictions exposed by DNA evidence. Convicting the Innocent: Texas Justice Derailed presents the cases of thirty-nine innocent men who served over 500 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. The report also highlights key reforms Texas must implement to address the flawed evidence and systemic problems that led to these mistakes.

By repealing the death penalty, Governor Richardson’s action this week eliminates the risk of New Mexico ever executing an innocent person. The question now is whether Governor Richardson will take the necessary steps to eliminate the causes that lead to wrongful convictions.

Unless states establish more thorough systems of prosecutorial accountability, miscarriages of justice will continue.