Posted on 10/02/2025 5:13:39 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Edward Wright spent 41 years in prison for a 1984 murder in Springfield that he did not commit.
Under Massachusetts law, the most he or anyone else wrongfully convicted could hope to receive from the state is $1 million.
"It means that each day that he spent in a prison cell away from his loved ones is worth $66 to this Commonwealth," said Radha Natarajan, executive director of the New England Innocence Project. "And we should be appalled by that."
Natarajan was at Wrongful Conviction Day at the State House, where she and others spoke in support of reforms that would increase compensation for individuals wrongfully convicted of crimes.
Currently, Massachusetts law caps compensation at $1 million for those wrongfully convicted of a felony.
Wright was freed earlier this year after his attorneys demonstrated that police and prosecutors withheld evidence and presented false testimony.
"When the jury convicted me, it was just like getting punched in the face," Wright said. "No amount of money can ever bring back what happened to us; nothing can replace the loss that we have."
A bill pending on Beacon Hill would eliminate the $1 million state cap and replace it with a new system that would entitle the wrongfully convicted to collect up to $115,000 for every year spent in prison. In Wright's case, this would amount to nearly $5 million.
The measure has the support of state Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
I fully recognize that the history of America and the Constitution band cruel and unusual punishment, and that the death penalty is congruent with that.
But the number of times I’ve seen overzealous prosecutors convict innocent people - and ESPECIALLY with the nonsense we saw with Merrick Garland et al during the Biden years - I’m against the death penalty.
Yea, there are real animals who commit heinous crimes. There are also a lotta filthy prosecutors and DAs.
I am inclined to agree with you about the death penalty but some of these people really need to die. Thus I am conflicted.
I would trust the system more if a prosecutor that defrauded the court via introduction of false testimony he knew was false be handed down the same sentence he was trying to get a conviction for.
My son had to go to traffic court on two offenses, one which was correct and the other due to false testimony by the officer. With my help the false charge was dropped. However, what went through my mind is if he will lie in traffic court he will lie in any court!
ps
Most cops are good guys, we have mostly good prosecutors but many on the far left are a danger to our nation.
I am inclined to agree with you about the death penalty but some of these people really need to die. Thus I am conflicted.
I would trust the system more if a prosecutor that defrauded the court via introduction of false testimony he knew was false be handed down the same sentence he was trying to get a conviction for.
My son had to go to traffic court on two offenses, one which was correct and the other due to false testimony by the officer. With my help the false charge was dropped. However, what went through my mind is if he will lie in traffic court he will lie in any court!
ps
Most cops are good guys, we have mostly good prosecutors but many on the far left are a danger to our nation.
Sorry. I disagree.
In the last 40 years, I do not believe that any USA murderer has been wrongly convicted.
In fact, I think that hundreds of USA prime suspects were never prosecuted because of rigid protections in USA law.
The Innocence Project is a Five Trick Pony.
(1) They search for un-identified DNA on crime scene evidence.
(2) They search for Prosecution or Juror bias.
(3) They convince a witness to recant previous testimony.
(4) They produce new witnesses who contradict previous testimony.
(5) They request a new trial.
Former Prosecutors, Police, and witnesses are deeply reluctant to disagree with the Innocence Project because of the financial risk of civil law suits.
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