Zenaida Pastrana from Tlapa, Guerrero in Mexico spent nine years in prison for a crime she claimed she did not commit. Asistencia Legal por los Derechos Humanos (ASILEGAL), a MacArthur grantee, took Zenaida's case to the appellate court system where it was acknowledged that during her trial there were several violations of due process. Zenaida was released, and her case set a precedent as Mexico transitions its outdated criminal justice system to one based on oral trials and respect for due process. Since Zenaida's release, ASILEGAL has been contacted by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia for Guerrero to conduct training for justice system operators in preparation for the new justice system.
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