Posted on 09/04/2009 1:26:31 PM PDT by BJClinton
Exonerees will get $80,000 for each year they spent behind bars. The compensation also includes lifetime annuity payments that for most of the wrongly convicted are worth between $40,000 and $50,000 a year — making it by far the nation's most generous package.
Dallas County alone has 21 cases in which a judge overturned guilty verdicts based on DNA evidence, though prosecutors plan to retry one of those.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Which reinforces the theory that eyewitness testimony is about as unreliable as it comes.
I am not convinced that this is appropriate.
As a taxpayer, I resent mistakes I had NO part in and tired of subsidizing others for ANY reason beyond my control.
Not necessarily.
When it comes to RACE, then there are often problems identifying someone of a DIFFERENT race. When it is the SAME RACE, then there is less of a problem. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water!
So how much do you think 26 years in prison is worth?
‘As a taxpayer, I resent mistakes I had NO part in and tired of subsidizing others for ANY reason beyond my control. ‘
Sure, but locking someone away[Innocent], depriving them of their freedoms and liberty is tyranny. What, should happen? Nothing?
Will taxpayers be reimbursed for the “innocent” that were convicted? If not, WHY NOT? It is the taxpayer that keeps getting stuck with the bill! THIS IS WRONG. Make the attorney, personally pay for it or those that railroaded these “innocent” people.
I highly doubt that those convicted would have earned 85K or even 50K a year. To incarcerate people costs MORE than that.
Where’s the refund for the tax payer?
Do you think money grows on trees?
I totally agree.
What was your income 20+ years ago? Less than it is now? It should be. You've had 20+ years to develop your job skills and work your way up the income ladder. These guys didn't and after wrongfully spending 20+ years behind bars, they've been institutionalized and are all but unemployable in everything but entry-level jobs.
They deserve it. And they're receiving these generous payoffs because Texas realizes that a jury in any wrongful punishment suit would likely be even more generous. Pay a little now or a lot later.
It will depend on the INDIVIDUAL.
I don't go along with the GROUP mentality.
I also believe those that PUT THEM IN PRISON, WRONGLY should compensate them based on what they earned PRIOR to being wrongly imprisoned. THAT would be s personal determent to attorneys and company who like to wrongly incarcerate people. I would really like to get back to INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
BTW, how do YOU justify that arbitrary amount?
If you had every official fiscally responsible for errors, no one would wokk in government. Maybe not a bad idea afterall. LOL!
Some of these cases are best effort with what is known at the time. We are the government and we are responsible.
It's cheaper than the multi-million dollar Judgement any reasonable Jury on the planet would hand down. That's why.
Welcome to the real world! Jobs come and go and income goes up and down. In prison they are able to get their GED or college education. Did any of these people take that route? All these things enter into it. Do you ever think things through? Or just have a knee jerk reaction based on feeling bad for them?
“They deserve it. And they're receiving these generous payoffs because Texas realizes that a jury in any wrongful punishment suit would likely be even more generous. Pay a little now or a lot later.”
They deserve something but lump sum payments aren't appropriate. It must be on an individual basis. When their record is expunged, there is no stigma.
There is far more lost when your lose your freedom, than simply the amount of your paycheck.
In fact, I value my freedom FAR higher than my earning power as someone’s employee.
I would argue for a million a year, plus whatever their earnings were.
Who do you start with? The Judge, the jury, the DA, the Cop who arrested him, the attorney who failed to defend him?
BTW, how do YOU justify that arbitrary amount?
The article sites one man who was released after 24 years and received $1.9 million. That works out to about $9.00 an hour. Sounds cheap to me.
I suspect if you were wrongfully incarcerated for a few years, you'd be convinced.
Not true. Also, police have been known to "suggest" a perp to the victim. There was a case I remember from tv not too long ago where it seems that the guy convicted of rape had managed to avoid some drug charges, and the cops were just finding a way to put him in jail.
Yes, these people were wronged. To discourage that, giving them a “bail out” won't stop those that take this route. By making those personally responsible for the wrong they did, WILL discourage them from railroading others. How else will people be forced to be accountable if we shove the bill to Innocent tax payers? Where's the incentive to stop this?
Can the victim who wrongly identified be sued ?
” would argue for a million a year, plus whatever their earnings were.”
You’re mentality is one of the reasons Tort Reform is almost impossible. There must be a reasonable limit to this mindless - shove moeny at the person - ALLOT OF MONEY - and all will be well again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.