The Limitations of Memory

On the Diane Rehm Show yesterday, Diane interviewed the authors of the new book Picking Cotton, about the circumstances that led to the writing of the book:

A rape victim mistakenly accused Ronald Cotton of being her attacker. He served eleven years in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him. They both join Diane [Rehm] to present their joint memoir of injustice and forgiveness.

I found this to be both painful and compelling to listen to, but ultimately, worth the time. It’s an incredibly powerful reminder of the fallibility of  human memory and the impact  DNA testing has had on the criminal justice system. For those of you who cry during Hallmark commercials and the like, this may unleash the waterworks. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

To listen to the segment in Real Audio, click here; for Windows Media, click here.