Bump.
The article title is wrong too. 23 years in a Texas prison for something he didn't do is not becoming an "instant" millionaire. About the only thing wrong with this is I don't see any provision for spreading some pain on the officials who performed the wrongful conviction.
Besides, Texas is a great place and anyone with enough brains to accomplish something like that could easily do better with a real job and not have to spend any time in prison.
No, I'm not specifically talking about you altair.
I think wrongful convictions are a terrible thing. I think people are due major restitution for being falsely imprisoned. But I think it should be handled on a case by case basis.
And for you jdub, the $80k is for each year served, not an annual payment. It is the “lump sum” payment. They also get an annuity which is paid out in installments over time which is in addition to the the lump sum.
My point which some don't be able to grasp is that there are people who will in the future game the system.
Get yourself convicted of a crime, spend 5 years in jail and then magically evidence surfaces that exonerates you and wa-la - $400,000. There are any number of ways people can create that situation, all on purpose.
So for some ex-con who can barely make minimum wage and knows the prison system inside out it makes perfect sense to fabricate a crime so that you get yourself convicted while hiding the hard evidence that clears you. Serve 5 years on the states dime and then the evidence is “discovered” that clears you. Bam, $400,000 and a longterm annuity...
It is the whole unintended consequences things that government is so good at.
Prosecutors need to be held accountable. They shouldn't get to destroy someones life and then simply say sorry.
Please understand that my post #61 was to your post #59 and not #60.