Here are the top stories in criminal justice reform, taken from the Justice Newsladder.

Dean Cage become the 29th Illinoisan inmate to be exonerated by DNA testing. Cage could be entitled to about $150,000 in compensation from the state for his wrongful conviction, but the governor must sign a pardon for innocence before he can get it. Gov. Blagojevich has yet to grant a pardon to the dozen or so exonerees who have petitions before him. (suntimes.com)

The New York State Bar Association has established a task force to study wrongful convictions. The team of 22 law professionals will identify rules, procedures and statutes contributing to the problem, which the NYSBA claims undermines public confidence in the justice system. (newsday.com)

“The Last Word,” a new feature-length documentary by Albany attorney Jesse Quackenbush, tells the story of Johnny Frank Garrett, who was executed in 1991 for the rape and murder of a 76-year-old nun - a murder which he did not commit. (dailygazette.com)

Florida cut it’s budget for public defenders in 2009 by 4.2 percent, following a 5 percent cut this year. Repeated budget slashings have left the state’s public defender system dangerously overstretched, with 177 lawyers each handling as many as 150 cases per year, including capital cases. (miamiherald.com)

Florida isn’t the only state with problems funding its public defender program - Minnesota fell short in funding its program by $4.7 million. This will not only make it hard to fill their 19 vacant positions, but may lead to them cutting 61 more, leaving fewer defenders to handle more cases. There is rightful concern that this could lead to more wrongful convictions in Minnesota. (apublicdefender.com)

The Justice Project, an organization which works to increase fairness and accuracy in the American criminal justice system, is proud to sponsor the Justice Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles about criminal justice reform.