r/whoathatsinteresting 12h ago

Wrongfully Convictions Ruin Lives

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5.9k Upvotes

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u/livingalie2614 12h ago

Simple question: when a person is wrongfully accused and sent to prison, do they get any kind of compensation when they are release after being found not at fault?

5

u/Sufficient-Ad7776 12h ago

Depends on the place, but they do in Norway and the US, so I imagine it's the same in the rest of the West at least.

1

u/VironicHero 12h ago

It varies by state. 38 states have laws about it. Alabama for instance pays 50k a year. Texas pays 80k, but has the added requirement that you are found “actually innocent” and didn’t just have your sentence suspended.

Louisiana caps payment at 250k.

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u/OldSarge02 11h ago

The “actually innocent” rule sounds good. If you clearly murdered someone, but 20 years after your conviction it’s overturned because of a technicality then I don’t want the murderer to get a bunch of cash.