NEWS & FEATURES

While Suffolk County DA Dan Conley and Boston Police commissioner Kathleen O'Toole study the systemic problem of wrongful convictions, David S. Bernstein says someone should take a look at three specific cases tried by attorneys who still lose sleep over the shoddy eyewitness evidence used to convict their clients.

Jason Vest reports that a memo written by an Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority official warns that conditions are ripe for civil war and, further, that it's the CPA's fault. (Read the text of the redacted memo on bostonphoenix.com.)

Under today's campaign-finance system, it's unlikely that Senator Eugene McCarthy could ever have challenged President Lyndon Johnson, Dan Kennedy finds. Is it time to call the whole thing off?

Women in their 30s or younger grew up in a time when access to abortion was a given. But with Bush in the saddle, that's no longer true, and organizers hope to attract a million people to a March for Women's Lives on Sunday, April 25, to help stem the alarming slide. Deirdre Fulton reports.

The mighty Canada goose will live fat and happy for up to 20 years in any grassy area with easy access to water - and leave a pound and a half of feces behind each and every day. No wonder, says Bill Doncaster, that the birds are creating a growing public controversy.

Mel King may be out of the spotlight, but the 75-year-old former mayoral candidate is no less committed to the kinds of causes he's built an activist life around. Tamara Wieder chats with him.

In "Out There," Alan Olifson says that everything he knows, he learned from a basset hound with a glass eye.

In "Urban Buy," Julie Suratt browses thingamabobs and whatchamacallits - who knew you needed this stuff?

In the Phoenix editorial, Bush's illusions. Our failure to deal with innocents behind bars. Preserving reproductive rights.

Letters to the editor

Moon Signs

Plus, this just in:

MUSIC

Matt Ashare on Lou Barlow and Jason Loewenstein's Sebadoh reunion.

Ted Drozdowski says Ibrahim Ferrer, Cubanismo, and others are getting locked out of the US.

Sean Richardson on Rufio's MCMLXXXV.

Jon Garelick says Bill Frisell, Bobby Previte, and Donal Fox push the jazz envelope.

Banning Eyre discovers the Sauti za Busara Festival.

Live reviews of: H.I.M., Tobin Sprout , and DJ Manolo

Also, short reviews of:

THEATER

Liza Weisstuch says Black Power! looks back and ahead.

The Phoenix arts staff reviews the sixth annual Boston Theater Marathon.

Sally Cragin finds Joan Rivers broke and alone in Boston.

Menopause the Musical hits Boston, and Iris Fanger is there to review it.

DANCE

Marcia B. Siegel on Balanchine at Harvard, 'Ten's the Limit' at Green Street.

ART

Christopher Millis on John O'Reilly, Gerry Bergstein, Randall Sellers, and Toshio Iezumi.

BOOKS

Jeffrey Gantz cheers William Shakespeare's 440th.

TELEVISION

HOTDOTS: WEDNESDAY 28 8:00 (2) Mark Russell Comedy Special. The funniest guy in Buffalo returns to public television to prove that people in Buffalo just aren't very funny. By Clif Garboden

FOOD

SPECIALS