Christie conditionally vetoed the bill earlier this year because he objected to certain provisions, including one that tied the amount of the award to the Consumer Price index, which tracks inflation. He also struck down a provision that would have made it possible for inmates who falsely confessed to crimes they did not commit to also be eligible for state compensation. According to the
Star Ledger
, Christie said in his conditional veto message, “A person’s own decision to enter a false plea, under oath or in court, could lead to the payment for the imprisonment that flowed from the defendant’s own misstatement. … In that particular situation, providing payment for ‘wrongful imprisonment’ is not justified.”
New Jersey is one of 29 states, and the District of Columbia, that provides compensation to residents who have been wrongfully convicted. The
Philadelphia Inquirer
reports that New Jersey settled 20 wrongful-imprisonment cases between October 2007 and September 2012 for a total of $2.2 million.
How and where do l apply for compensation for a wrongful conviction?
How do I claim compensation for being exonerated after two years of detention?