As discussed in the previous post, a grandmother who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in California for causing a fatal injury in her grandson's brain by allegedly shaking him is hoping Governor Jerry Brown will grant her clemency. 

In the years since her conviction, controversy and questions have arisen around the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. It was once thought to be a sure diagnosis if certain symptoms were present, but different illnesses have since been found to cause some of the signs that can also be taken for child abuse, casting doubt on some child abuse convictions of the past.

The news organization ProPublica partnered with other news organizations to do an in-depth study of possible wrongful child abuse convictions. One man they profiled recently had his conviction for sexual assault of a child voided.

The Texas Court of Appeals voided the man's conviction because more evidence had come up since he was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing the 6-month old child in 2003 that suggested the child died of natural causes. The man was serving a 60-year prison sentence for his conviction. He may be tried again, but it will be up to the local prosecutors.

Source: ProPublica, "Texas Court Voids Conviction in Child Death Case," A.C. Thompson, Jan. 25, 2012