The highest profile miscarriage of justice of the twenty first century
When historians look back at miscarriages of justice, some cases stand out. They stand out for a number of reasons, starting with the obvious: innocent defendants were prosecuted following a series of astonishing misjudgements. The miscarriages are compounded by an ignorant or malevolent media and the schadenfreude of the wider population. They acquire a life outside the courtroom and are discussed in workplaces, homes and pubs. They become symbolic. They exemplify prejudice. They inspire campaigners and they cause prosecutors and legal establishments to hunker down, circle the wagons and defend the indefensible.
In 1894 Alfred Dreyfus, a French army officer, was convicted of spying. It took eleven years for the case to unravel and by the time he was exonerated, the government and the apparatus of the state had been rattled. Dreyfus went on to serve in the army again, with distinction. The ‘Dreyfus Affair’ is now seen as one of the most striking examples of a complex miscarriage of justice, where a major role was played by the press and public opinion. Read More »