This Week in Innocence News: January 27, 2017

Here are some of this week’s news highlights:

Wyoming ‘Actual Innocence’ bill moves forward
House Bill 144, which was approved Wednesday by the Wyoming House of Appropriations, would expand the amount of time a wrongfully convicted person has to present evidence of innocence in court. The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

Indiana lawmakers propose exoneree compensation bill
Bipartisan legislators in Indiana proposed two different bills that would establish a fund to compensate wrongfully convicted and exonerated people for the years they spent behind bars. Indiana is currently one of 18 states that have no statute requiring wrongful conviction compensation. The Indiana Star

Iowa man exonerated of drug conviction after court says cops planted evidence
Kyle Jacob Weldon, who was convicted of drug possession two years ago, was exonerated Monday after a judge acknowledged that Des Moines police planted evidence in his case. The Associated Press

Johnny Hincapie exonerated of 1990 murder
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office will not retry Johnny Hincapie, who spent 25 years in prison for a 1990 murder he maintains he did not commit. A state judge overturned his conviction in 2015 and ordered a new trial. The New York Times

New Orleans man exonerated after 23 years in prison
Innocence Project New Orleans and Innocence Project client Robert Jones was released Thursday after his convictions were vacated and all charges against him were dropped. Jones spent 23 years in prison in connection with a rape and robbery he maintains he did not commit. The Times-Picayune

Felipe Rodriguez released after 26 years in prison
Innocence Project client Felipe Rodriguez was released on Thursday after 26 years in prison for a murder he maintains he did not commit. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo commuted his sentence last month. WABC