Dallas DNA premiered on DISCID on April 28, 2009. Imagine serving decades in prison for a crime you didn't commit, with absolutely no hope of appeal or parole, no hope of finding out who actually committed the crime for which you are incarcerated and no hope of enjoying life with loved ones outside of prison walls. When Craig Watkins ran for district attorney in Dallas County, Texas, he promised to fight for justice and through an innovative and unconventional new division he founded, he's been true to his word. In July 2007, Watkins created the nation's first-ever Conviction Integrity Unit run through a DA's office, tasked with re-examining hundreds of petitions submitted by inmates seeking DNA testing and a reinvestigation of their cases. With more than 40 cases receiving post-conviction DNA evidence analysis, the results have stunned the nation to date, 18 cases were found to have wrongful convictions, and under DA Watkins' leadership six innocent men have walked free. Dallas County has more exonerations than any other jurisdiction in the nation since state law began allowing post-conviction testing in 2001.
