Innocent and jailed, giving back 19 years

[seashoreCM]

Heard in the news (Boston MA) about a Dennis M. who was recently freed after spending 19+ years in jail for a crime he did not commit.

There are no doubt others who were similarly wrongfully jailed but let's use Dennis M. as the example.

The state should give him back 19 years of his life this way:

Put him on the public payroll at a weekly salary comparable to what he might have earned had he not been jailed, for the next 19 years. Impute (pretend) 19 years of seniority and pension vesting from the start. Any competent computer programmer can plug the latter information into the state's systems. Dennis' total working hours each week will be Thursdays from 1 PM to 5 PM. Any tasks not completed get deferred to the next week if no one else beats him to it. The rest of the time on weekdays he can do whatever he wishes, including play golf or go to WDW in front of 60 Minutes' cameras, or work at another job. Or plan and raise the family he was thinking of, according to the news report.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I'm not sure that is realistic but this seems to happen frequently and I believe there should be a plan in place for people in this position to recieve education and temporary living assistance untill they can get themselves back on their feet.

 

[jamsmom]

DOn;t they usualy receive like $50-$200 and a "Sorry" and that is it? I have a problem with that. If they receive nothing else, that leaves too much that can be done that will land them right back in jail.

 

[Bob O]

The person is getting out of jail and that is enough. The taxpayers shouldnt be made to suffer for the actions of the jury or judge who placed him into jail by finding him guilty. If they do this for him should the taxpayers make every victim of a crime whole for their loss???
When will the fleecing of taxpayers wallets ever stop???

 

[Bottlejet]

Dennis M. needs to file a civil suit. Even the federal government has been sued on such issues. Nineteen years gone. I'd ask for 900 million dollars and settle for 845 million dollars.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

well Bob the last time I checked, and of course you are a police officer to I would assume you know better than me, when someone is charged with a criminal offense it is "The state of "whatever" vs. "the criminal""
Last I checked judge's were employees of the state.
So are prosecuting attorneys and police officers.
If the state makes a mistake why shouldn't they have to pay some reasonable restitution the same as anyone.
I don't think this happens so often that a little education and a place to live for a while is going to make or break any state. I think it would make WAY more sense then hit or miss civil suits where one person collects a fortune and another goes away empty handed.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

To add to Alex's argument ... aren't jurors paid a per diem during their time on the jury? And wouldn't that make them in essence "employed by the state" during that trial?

There was a case here in VA where a man was found guilty of rape 20 or so years ago but recently freed after DNA testing showed he wasn't the one who did it. IIRC (and someone correct me if I'm wrong, please) the General Assembly voted to award him a multi-million dollar settlement.

I believe there should be some restitution, but not sure how much it should be. Maybe something based on the length of time the person was in jail, plus free admission to a state-run college?

Still, there are some things money can't make up for. The man I mentioned above? The first thing he reportedly did when he got out was to visit the grave of his mother, who died while he was in prison.

 

[doxdogy]

Another addition to Alex's argument. Don't the prosecutors have to collect enough sufficient evidence to bring the person to trial? And the jury is taken from a pool of taxpayers. Then be able to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that this person is guilty and should pay for the crime? This is one case in which I think that if someone is tried and found guilty of a crime they didn't commit that they should be given some compensation from the state.