When Jared Daniel filed his criminal appeal from his east Texas prison in 2011, he was absolutely certain that soon, he would be free.
Four years earlier, a Houston jury had convicted Daniel of a double homicide. But Daniel maintained his innocence, and in the years since, had plenty of time to mull over his frustrations with his trial.
He felt the evidence against him was largely circumstantial. His lawyer had advised against Daniel taking the stand, but never called witnesses to testify on his behalf. And Daniel unearthed details in police reports and the trial transcript that he said cast doubt on his guilt.
Daniel raised his concerns in a writ of habeas corpus, a special type of appeal that contests wrongful incarceration. He filed his appeal and eagerly waited for a response from the Harris County courts.
He would be forced to wait for 11 years.
Daniel is one of more than 100 defendants who saw their writs of habeas corpus gather dust in the Harris County courts for years and even decades, an inexplicable delay in the administration of justice that has left him fighting long odds in his quest to prove his innocence. His case illustrates the heavy toll of the systemic lapse, overwhelmingly borne by the affected defendants. Daniel’s arguments for relief hinge on evidence or testimony that may no longer be available – even as the parties responsible for the loss face no consequences for the oversight.