1. POLYGRAPHS IN 213 WRONGFUL CONVICTION EXONERATIONS
By Morrison Bonpasse
BonPasse Exoneration Services
at the 2013 Innocence Network
Conference. Charlotte, NC

2. METHODOLOGY CASES FOUND ON INTERNET:
SEARCH “POLYGRAPH” “WRONGFUL CONVICTION” “EXONERATION”
KEY SOURCE: NATIONAL REGISTRY OF EXONERATIONS
NEWS ARTICLES; FEDERAL CASES(PACER)

3. METHODOLOGY
CATEGORIES EXONEREES DECEPTIVE/NON-DECEPTIVE WITNESSES/INFORMANTS SUPPORT EXONEREE INNOCENCE? TWO WAYS: DI or NDI BEFORE TRIAL/AFTER TRIAL

4. METHODOLOGY
Each case classified only once, regardless of # Beatrice Six PRIORITIES Examinations of exonerees over witnesses Rubin “Hurricane” Carter Pre-trial examinations over post trial Tim Masters, Lenell Geter

5. 147 EXONEREE POLYGRAPHS 94 PASSED (NDI NO DECEPTION IND)
46 BEFORE TRIAL
48 AFTER TRIAL
30 UNCERTAIN RESULTS
23 FAILED (DI DECEPTION INDICATED)

6. 66 POLYGRAPHS OF OTHERS 40 SUPPORTED INNOCENCE 25 BEFORE TRIAL
15 AFTER TRIAL
18 UNCERTAIN
8 NOT SUPPORT EX’EE INNOCENCE

7. 117 POLYGRAPHS OF EXONEREES ONLY
CLEAR RESULTS
94 (80%) PASS (NO DECEPTION INDICATED)
23 (20%) FAIL (DECEPTION INDICATED)

8. 134 POLYGRAPHS SUPPORT INNOCENCE
94 EXONEREE POLYGRAPHS
46 BEFORE TRIAL
48 AFTER TRIAL
40 POLYGRAPHS OF OTHERS

9. 31 POLYGRAPHS NOT SUPPORT INNOCENCE
23 EXONEREES FAIL
8 POLYGRAPHS OF OTHERS NOT POINT
TO INNOCENCE

10. OVERALL CLEAR RESULTS 165 TESTS WITH CLEAR RESULTS
134 (81%) SHOWING INNOCENCE
31 (19%) NOT SHOWING INNOCENCE

11. NOTABLE NOTES FIRST POLYGRAPH EXONEREE: 1939.
AMONG THE 46 PRE-TRIAL NDI –
ONE OF THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
40 INMATES NOW IN PRISON HAVE PASSED POLYGRAPHS
ONE PRISON WARDEN REFUSED, SO FAR, PERMISSION FOR 2ND POLYGRAPH

12. RECOMMENDATIONS
POLYGRAPHS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED FOR DEFENDANTS CLAIMING INNOCENCE AND FOR WITNESSES INFORMANTS
IF FAIL/INCONCLUSIVE, OFFER 2ND EXAM
CHANCE 2 FALSE POSITIVE 4% (=20% x 20%)
NEUTRAL POLYGRAPH EXAMINERS
PROSECUTORS AND LAWYERS SHOULD HEED POLYGRAPH RESULTS

13. RECOMMENDATIONS (CONT’D)
CONFESSIONS OBTAINED AFTER FAILED POLYGRAPH – NOT ADMIT
AMERICAN POLYGRAPH ASSN. AND/OR
OTHERS SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE 23
ACTUAL EXONEREE FAILURES AND 8
FAILURES OF OTHERS.
PERIODICALLY UPDATE DATA IN ARTICLE

14. FORENSIC TOOLS FOR CLAIMS OF INNOCENCE
DNA IN 5% OF CASES
A PERSON, SUBJECT TO POLYGRAPH, IN 100% OF CASES