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According to some scientists [1], death penalty cases have a 4.1% error rate. There's logical arguments that the error rate for life sentences is higher and for non capital felonies it might be a lot higher. Rape-Murders have a 3.3% floor with an estimated 5% ceiling [2].

I wouldn't be shocked if the rate for the none capital convictions was in the neighborhood of 10%...well actually I am shocked about it. There's probably also discrimination and some demographics get a lot more false convictions than others (I'd guess being poor doesn't help for example).

[1]: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/20/7230

[2]: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40042842?seq=1#page_scan_tab_con...



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