A man spent 42 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Now eligible for up to $480,000 in compensation, the state has rejected his claim, leaving him without support after decades lost to injustice.
The man was convicted decades ago based on flawed evidence and spent 42 years behind bars before new facts proved his innocence and won his release. State law allows payments of up to $480,000 for those wrongly imprisoned, calculated by years served, to help them rebuild their lives with housing, jobs, and care.
Officials still turned down the claim, citing technical rules and questions about how the law applies in this case. Advocates say such denials defeat the purpose of compensation programs and leave exonerees struggling with poverty and health issues after long absences from normal life.
The refusal has sparked calls for changes so that proven innocent people receive the help they are owed without extra barriers. Without payment, many face ongoing hardship and lose faith in a system that already took so much from them.
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