What Price Justice?

In the light of the interest that my article about the death penalty stirred, I thought I would share this story I just read in the Associated Press.

It seems that in 2005, three men who had spent years in prison for rapes DNA later proved they did not commit, sued for recompense in the state of Georgia.

Clarence Harrison, the man who presented his case first, was 27 years old when he went into prison for 17 years. He was 44 when he came out. He was promised one millions dollars from the state that day.

The two other men had spent 5 years and 15 years in prison respectively before they were cleared. The prosecutor, who was the same man who became famous for the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil case, sent a letter to the legislature saying that he still did not believe they were innocent, no matter what the DNA evidence said. Their case quickly disappeared.They have never got a dime.

Georgia is one of 23 states that have no laws determining what kind of recompense prisoners who are exonerated receive.

What do you think? One million dollars for 17 years or not one penny for 15?

What would be fair?

Comments: 10

Lee P. Jul 21, 2009, 2:12pm EDT

Don't ask me. I have no idea what would be fair for lost freedom time when one is innocent. I don't think that there is enough money in the world to make up for this. A million dollars is a start. Our justice system is flawed but it's the only one we've got. With DNA being presented in cases now I think a lot of this false imprisonment will cease.

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Holly C. Jul 21, 2009, 2:37pm EDT

This is horrible. I'm with Lee. I don't know what amount of money would make up for this. It is scary when the prosecutor says he doesn't care what the DNA says. All kinds of horrible things could have happened to these men while they were locked up. I'm sure they have suffered some kind of psychological damage because of this.

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Jack E. Jul 21, 2009, 2:41pm EDT

That is a question only an innocent locked up person could answer. A similar case happened in my state and the person was locked up for 18 years and finally released due to DNA evidence. Our governor wanted to give the person 1 million but the courts allowed him 5 million.

I do not believe you can put a price tag on this kind of injustice we are seeing nationwide and maybe we should start locking up crooked cops and prosecutors.

America is sadly lacking a justice system especially since so many states have been using corporate for profit prisons to house criminals and the public should give more thought to what it means to execute people because their have been many innocent people murdered by our so called justice system.

Dorothy H. Jul 21, 2009, 2:47pm EDT

Perhaps they could also begin sueing the individual prosecuters. That may help to make them be more vigilent in their duties.

Jack E. Jul 21, 2009, 2:49pm EDT

Vigilance is not the problem, all they care about is getting another conviction on their resume at the expense of innocent people.

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Ava's Mom (formerly known as Robiyah) Jul 21, 2009, 2:51pm EDT

Would money even make up for this? Or any amount of money, I should say. You just took 17 years of my life from me!

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Rhetta A. Jul 21, 2009, 5:10pm EDT

While I am in total agreement that money cannot make up for the time they lost, it can make their lives a little easier now. In the case of the two men who got nothing, they were exonerated but their records weren't even expunged, so every time they go for job interviews, they have to explain what happened. Do you think this is helping them find job and make decent livings? Every state should have an established amount that prisoners will be given, I think possibly based on a reasonable pay rate for each year they were imprisoned, so that one man doesn't walk away with a reasonable amount to live on and another, equally innocent man walk away with nothing at all.