Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
“Perrot’s conviction rested heavily on the analysis of a single hair found at the scene of the violent rape of his neighbor in Springfield. Perrot always maintained his innocence, and the victim, then 78 and now deceased, never identified him as her assailant. The man who attacked her was clean shaven, she insisted; Perrot had a beard.
“An FBI analyst insisted, however, that the hair at the scene was Perrot’s. But the science behind hair analysis has since been debunked — more convictions could soon be overturned — and Kane in a January ruling overturned the conviction.”
Read the story by Nestor Ramos in the Boston Globe.
[Mike] Ware [Executive Director of the Innocence Project of Texas] continued, “I have had the opportunity to review the expert medical testimony at trial and the techniques used in the sexual assault examinations back in 1994. As well as the conclusions and opinions reached and expressed in court to the jury by the government’s experts. They appear to be seriously flawed, particularly in light of what qualified doctors and sexual assault nurses now know.”
“The psychiatrist isn’t the only person deeply skeptical of Billy Doe and his stories. The detective who led the Philadelphia district attorney’s investigation into Gallagher’s allegations against the priests and teacher also has some disturbing doubts. In a confidential deposition obtained by Newsweek, retired Detective Joseph Walsh was asked on January 29, 2015, about nine significant factual discrepancies in Gallagher’s story. The detective testified that when he questioned Gallagher about those discrepancies, Gallagher usually just sat there and said nothing. Or claimed he was high on drugs at the time. Or told a different story.”
The NCRJ has long sponsored the case of Dan and Fran Keller.
