Framed by Lies

By Miguel A. Baughman

Detective and Crime

True Crime

Length8h 47m

About this book

Summary

Framed by Lies uncovers the harrowing real-life nightmares of innocent individuals trapped in a flawed justice system. Author Miguel A. Baughman, an investigative journalist with over two decades exposing criminal injustices, delves into seven shocking cases spanning four decades—from mistaken eyewitness identifications and coerced confessions to prosecutorial misconduct and junk forensic science that sent the wrong people to prison for years, even decades. Drawing from court transcripts, DNA evidence, and exclusive interviews with exonerees, families, and legal experts, Baughman reveals the systemic failures driving over 3,400 documented exonerations since 1989, where the innocent collectively lost more than 30,000 years behind bars. Meet Jorge de los Santos, freed after three years on faulty lineup testimony; Kerry Kotler, whose life was upended by a victim's sincere but wrong memory; and Ron Williamson, who endured eleven years on death row amid fabricated evidence and perjured informants. These true stories expose how racial bias, official corruption, and cognitive errors create "perfect storms" of injustice, leaving real criminals free to strike again. But Framed by Lies isn't just a catalog of horrors—it's a call to action. Baughman spotlights reform successes, like double-blind lineups reducing misidentifications by 42% and mandatory interrogation recordings preventing false admissions. With a foreword by innocence pioneer Jim McCloskey and insights from the National Registry of Exonerations, this book equips readers to demand change: support innocence organizations, vote for accountable prosecutors, and engage in jury duty with eyes wide open. Discover why conservative estimates suggest 20,000–100,000 innocents remain imprisoned today—and how we can end this epidemic. A must-read for anyone who believes in truth over expedience, Framed by Lies will leave you outraged, inspired, and ready to fight for a fairer system.