Hochul Vetoes Bill to Allow Guilty Plea Challenges Despite Wrongful Conviction Concerns
• New York governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have made it easier for people who pleaded guilty to crimes to challenge their convictions later with new evidence.
• The bill was supported by criminal justice reform advocates but opposed by prosecutors who warned it would flood courts with frivolous appeals.
• The bill would have helped cases like Reginald Cameron, who served over 8 years after pleading guilty before being exonerated when new evidence emerged.
• Texas and some other states have implemented measures to prevent wrongful convictions, but New York's laws make it nearly impossible to challenge guilty pleas later.
• The bill's sponsor plans to reintroduce it to give innocent people a "fair chance to reverse a terrible wrong."