Guilty as Charged

A three-year investigation by the San Jose Mercury News reveals that the Santa Clara County, California, justice system routinely tolerates errors by judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys. For today's first installment of the five-part series "Tainted Trials, Stolen Justice," reporter Fredric N. Tulsky reviewed 700 appeals cases to discover that innocent people in the county are being convicted and sent to prison. What makes the story especially compelling are the dramatic examples that Tulsky uses. This is an excellent example of investigative journalism that can make a difference.