Pioneer Press Says Minnesota Should Pass Compensation Bill

A few days after

we blogged about the compensation bill being considered in Minnesota

,

St. Paul Pioneer Press

columnist Ruben Rosario wrote that the wrongly convicted deserve to be compensated for lost years.

Innocence Project of Minnesota

Managing Attorney Julie Jonas and others drafted the proposed legislation that would compensate an exonerated person $50,000 to $100,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment, and $25,000 to $50,000 for each year under supervised release or probation. Additionally, a panel appointed by Minnesota’s chief justice will decide how to include coverage for court costs, lost wages and unpaid child-support payments while in prison.

Minnesota is among 21 states without a compensation law for the wrongly convicted. The bill, which was passed overwhelmingly by the Minnesota House on Monday, is expected to be voted on by the Senate soon.

Read the

full article

.

View a map of state-by-state compensation laws

.