District attorney creates unit to review past convictions

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Portland criminal defense attorney has joined the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to head a new unit that will examine wrongful convictions and review prison sentences. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports District Attorney Mike Schmidt said Wednesday he has set aside $524,000 to staff the Justice Integrity Unit. Schmidt says Ernest Warren will lead the division and noted that Warren founded the first Black-owned defense law firm in Oregon. Warren will oversee one deputy district attorney and will earn about $203,000 a year. Multnomah County joins a half-dozen other city prosecutors’ offices in setting up a sentencing review unit and another 90 that have conviction integrity units.