Rape victim and national newsmaker, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, will illustrate the power of science with her moving story.
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, co-author of New York Times best seller, Picking Cotton, will visit USG on April 20 to share the story of her traumatic assault, the wrongful conviction of her attacker, and the exoneration that pushed her case into the national spotlight based on DNA evidence. The presentation, open to the public, is the final speaking engagement in a series of talks designed to educate criminology, psychology, and nursing students in special topics of forensic science.
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino
All are welcome!
Jennifer’s Story: Injustice, Truth, and Redemption
As a 22-year-old college student in 1984, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was raped at knife point. She helped to convict local suspect, Ronald Cotton, of the crime and he served over a decade in prison. A DNA test later proved his innocence and he was immediately exonerated. Jennifer’s account will examine potential pitfalls of eyewitness testimony and flaws in the United States’ legal system. Her presentation will reveal the grave truth that innocent people are often convicted of crimes they did not commit and highlight the ways that advancements in forensic science, such as DNA testing, can impact the criminal justice system.
A question and answer session will take place following the talk and Jennifer will sign copies of the New York Times Best-Seller, Picking Cotton. Attendees will be able to purchase the book onsite for $14.25.
Click here for more information about Picking Cotton.
Click here for more about Jennifer Thompson-Cannino.
Forensic Science: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Forensic science is more than the investigation of evidence at a crime scene – it is connected to many disciplines, including behavioral science and the medical field. Jennifer Thompson-Cannino’s presentation at USG is part of an inter-institutional undergraduate course offered exclusively at USG, “Special Topics in Forensics: Multi-Disciplinary Examination of Forensics”. The course is presented annually in the spring semester to expose students to a range of knowledge and skill sets involved in forensic science.
“Special Topics in Forensics: Multi-Disciplinary Examination of Forensics” was developed collaboratively by University of Maryland, College Park, Criminology & Criminal Justice program, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Nursing, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County Department of Psychology.
This event is presented by the UMCP Criminology and Criminal Justice Program, the UMB School of Nursing, the UMBC Department of Psychology, the Universities at Shady Grove Committee on Collaboration, Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Education Strategies, and the Universities at Shady Grove.