New Jersey AG announces new conviction-review, cold case units

TRENTON — New Jersey’s attorney general announced Thursday the creation of two statewide units that will investigate conviction-review claims and unsolved cases.

At a news conference at the Hughes Justice Complex, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said the “conviction review unit,” which will be based out of his office, will focus exclusively on investigating claims of actual innocence.

He said the “cold case network" will consist of regional task forces involving members of Grewal’s office, county prosecutors, and state police. The task forces will pool resources to take on unsolved cases.

“Today’s dual announcements are based on a simple premise: that those who are innocent should not remain in prison, and those who are guilty should not remain on the streets,” Grewal said.

“These two statewide initiatives will ensure that those who break the law are held accountable, no matter how long ago the crime occurred, and provide further proof that you can promote public safety while also strengthening the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system."

The independent conviction review unit will look at claims of actual innocence, as opposed to wrongful convictions that focus on procedural errors. The unit will identify and investigate the strongest cases, which must have exhausted all appeals and post-conviction petitions. It will prioritize cases of people still in custody. The unit will then bring its findings to Grewal who will decide whether to take action.

Anticipating a high volume, the unit will work with law schools and innocence groups to help with screening claims. A tracking system will allow participants to monitor the status of filed claims.

In an effort to maintain its independence, Grewal set up the unit under his Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, and instructed it to work separately from the Division of Criminal Justice and outside the purview of county prosecutors, whose cases this unit is reviewing.

Superior Court Judge Carolyn Murray has stepped down to serve as the unit’s first director.

While the conviction review concept has been developed in many states across the country, it’s New Jersey’s first statewide initiative.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to advance the cause of justice for all and to have a lasting impact on our criminal justice system," Murray said.

Last year, Grewal created a special panel to examine the wrongful-conviction issues in the state after two Paterson men, who were imprisoned for the 1993 murder of a store clerk, were given a new trial and exonerated.

The new review unit "is the last fail-safe that we offer,” he said. “This is an added check to ensure that justice is being administered in a fair and impartial manner across the state.”

The model for the “cold case network” is the North Jersey Regional Cold Case Task Force, a collaboration of several counties. It has solved two cold case homicides, and one cold-case sexual assault.

“That is proof of concept that this model can work,” Grewal said.

Grewal said his office and state police will provide the network with added resources and support as well.

Murray will also coordinate the conviction review to work with the cold case crew to help solve older crimes.