SC Family seeks community support in alleged wrongful conviction



His appearance would have made a jury want him off the street.  An account of the trial here

Jamar Huggins was found guilty of burglary, kidnapping, and armed robbery last September, but his family says he was wrongfully convicted.

"Someone who was actually involved in the crime walked into the courtroom and looked at him and said, 'Oh no, that's not him. That's the wrong person' and still nobody stopped it,” Jamar’s sister, Dinedra Smith said.

She said after her brother was convicted, the family started doing some research.

They realized wrongful convictions happen more often than you might think.

The family is seeking community support to help free Jamar.

"The justice system is definitely backwards. For him, it was guilty until proven innocent," Smith stated.

Dinedra said Friday's awareness event would focus on three key themes found in wrongful conviction cases, “A miscarriage of justice, over-criminalization, and malicious prosecution."

Dinedra also said the detective, prosecutor, jury, and judge all had the chance to prevent an innocent man being locked up.

Jamar was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The family is currently in the process of appealing the conviction.

Original report here


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