A.C. Thompson
Reporter A.C. Thompson covers hate crimes and racial extremism for ProPublica.
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A.C. Thompson is a staff reporter with ProPublica. His stories, which often examine the criminal justice system, have helped lead to the exoneration of two innocent San Francisco men sentenced to life in prison and the prosecution of seven New Orleans police officers. In addition to working as a print and web journalist, Thompson has reported extensively for television, serving as a producer and correspondent for the PBS documentary series Frontline. His life was fictionalized on the HBO show “Treme.”
Ernie Lopez to Face Charges Again
Despite detailed challenges to the medical evidence, prosecutor says he sees no change in the facts of the case.
by A.C. Thompson,
Texas Court Voids Conviction in Child Death Case
The court set aside the conviction of Ernie Lopez, whose case we explored in our series on flawed death investigations.
by A.C. Thompson,
A Far Cry From 'CSI'
The fate of Shirley Ree Smith, convicted of shaking to death her 7-week-old grandson, is in the hands of California's governor. Child deaths can pose special problems for forensic pathologists. Unfortunately, many forensic pathologists aren't prepared to deal with the complexity of such cases.
by A.C. Thompson,
Gone Without a Case: Suspicious Elder Deaths Rarely Investigated
An investigation by ProPublica and PBS "Frontline" finds the system to examine unusual fatalities often fails seniors, leaving them vulnerable to neglect, abuse and even murder.
by Chisun Lee and A.C. Thompson,
The Hardest Cases: When Children Die, Justice Can Be Elusive
A joint investigation by ProPublica, PBS "Frontline" and NPR looks into nearly two dozen cases in which people were accused of killing children based on flawed forensic opinions and then later cleared.
by A.C. Thompson and Chisun Lee,