Prosecutors Admit Oops, Only 26 Years for a Non-Crime
Brian Pippitt was convicted in 2001 for a 1998 murder he didn't commit, finally released because prosecutors conceded his innocence. While The Independent frames this as a triumph of justice, one might recall that the Innocence Project has logged over 2,500 exonerations since 1989 , with the average exoneree serving 14 years. These aren't isolated 'mistakes'; they're features of a system
prioritizing convictions over justice, often relying on coercive interrogations and flawed evidence. So, the system that unjustly incarcerated Pippitt for 26 years now pats itself on the back for correcting its own error. We're meant to celebrate the benevolence of prosecutors finally admitting what they should have known all along. How many more Brian Pippitts are serving sentences right now for
crimes they didn’t commit, simply because the state hasn't yet granted them the favor of an admission?