2007 Don Edwards Civil Liberties Award – Presentation & Reception

This year’s award will be presented to Fredric N. Tulsky, lead reporter for the 2006 San Jose Mercury News series “Tainted Trials, Stolen Justice.”

The "Tainted Trials" series not only resulted in an important and widespread reevaluation of judicial and prosecu-torial practices in our area, resulting in increased attention to defendant's rights at many levels, but it has also resulted in the overturn of convictions or release from custody of six exonerated defendants during the past year.

As part of the Santa Clara Valley ACLU’s honoree presentation, Kathleen M. “Cookie” Ridolfi, Professor of Law at Santa Clara University, will give a keynote presentation on “Wrongful Convictions: Causes & Reforms.” Cookie directs the Northern California Innocence Project and co-chairs The Innocence Network. A recognized expert on criminal due process and defendant rights, Ridolfi will put Rick Tulsky’s findings in a broader context and discuss how the public can work for further reforms.