After 23 Years in Prison, Wisconsin Man Seeks Fair Compensation
12.29.10
Robert Stinson
served 23 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, and now under Wisconsin law he is eligible for only $25,000 in total compensation. There’s a chance, however, that the state will go above its own law and provide additional money to Stinson.
The Wisconsin Claims Board, which approved the initial $25,000 payment this week, also said
it would ask the state legislature for $90,000
in additional funds for Stinson. And Wisconsin Innocence Project co-director Keith Findley
told the Superior Telegram
that this move means state officials are beginning to accept that Wisconsin’s compensation law is inadequate.
The current law
was first passed in 1913, and provides for $5,000 per year of wrongful incarceration – up to a total of $25,000. ($5,000 in 1913 dollars, adjusted for inflation, would be worth more than $100,000 today).
Of the 27 states with compensation laws, Wisconsin’s compensation law has the second-lowest maximum dollar amount. New Hampshire caps compensation at $20,000.
Read more about exoneree compensation
.
Leave a Reply
Thank you for visiting us. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. Please avoid sharing any personal information in the comments below and join us in making this a hate-speech free and safe space for everyone.