Ooops, Our Bad. Here's that 35 Years of Your Life Back?

For one thing, video games would probably scare the living shit out of you. I mean, this poor character went to jail when "Pong" was considered state-of-the-art.

 

To the nearest Brothel, and the nearest Fast-Food Restaurant!

But seriously.

Focus:

The first thing I would do upon my release would be to get in touch with any family members still alive and spend some time with them. If released, my mind would likely be racing in a million different places at once, so I would hope that the presence of family could calm me and even help me re-integrate myself back into society.

Some of my initial priorities would be:

- A thick juicy steak with all the fixins.
- A celebratory beer (or six).
- Sleep. After sleeping on a prison cot for 35 years, I'd be fired up to fall asleep on something really comfortable.

Anti-Focus:

$35 Million Dollars. One Million for each year that I was wrongfully inprisoned. It'll never happen, but that's what I would deem reasonable in this day-in-age.

 

I would want to be part of society again, and that takes money and training. I wouldn't be so bold to ask for $35 mil, but $25,000 per year x 35 years sounds reasonable*. I would also want private psychological counseling for the next 10 years as well as vocational training. Sadly, I don't know if someone who spent his life in prison would have the ability to ask for a package like this.

After that was settled, I don't know what I would do. In this instance, the man has to be in his 50's at the very least. The bulk of his life was spent in a jail cell. I suppose he would really just want to be left alone.

*Edit to add: Tax free, motherfuckers.

 

First off, gets out of any minor crime scot-free. Speeding ticket? Yeah, I spent 35 years in jail for a crime I didn't commit, I've got some catching up to do. I think it's also fair to give a solid kick to the genitals to the judge and jury.

Probably the toughest things to get used to would be computers. To go from the revolutionary floppy disk drive of 1974 to having fucking lasers inside every computer, to go from porn theaters to in-home entertainment, to go from having to sit down at a certain time to watch a program to "Oh, I'll just pick it up on Youtube later", those are some pretty substantial shifts.

Also, a million per year's probably what I'd ask for, but I'd certainly settle for $100,000 per year, tax-free.

 

Considering that the poor guy likely spent the last 35 years getting harpooned in the ass, I'd make my way to Vegas and find the hottest hooker possible, and have her send the bill to Edward Threadgill, the prosecutor in the case.

 

Very well thought out response. You have to imagine the culture shock alone would spin this guy into a nervous breakdown...counseling/OT would be a must. I think some restitution would be in order as he is nearing the age where most of his peers will be thinking of retirement plans.

Aside from that? A fat steak and a blowjob from someone without a 5 o'clock shadow.

 

I found this article about a man who was wrongly imprisoned for 24 years.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/200 ... hassee-dna

He was awarded 1.25 million. It equals $137 a day. So, this guy should get 1.75 million or so.

The article also stated that this man would get free tuition at any state school if he so chooses. He earned his GED while in prison.

That seems reasonable to me. You can't expect them to give a million a year, but over a million total, if wisely spent, would last a person who used to live in a box, a lifetime.

I would say that hundred some per day, all tuition, and as posters above mentioned, psychological counciling, state paid, for the rest of his life. I also say whatever age they are, get them full health benefits for the rest of their life. Only fair. Make life a little easier on them and wouldn't be too much of a burden on society. Probably cheaper than the cost of having him imprisoned all that time. On top of that, free financial counseling as long as needed to help with the adjustments of having money and a life again. And finally, to go with the psychologists and financial advisors, a social worker type person to help them adjust with the major changes.

God damn, anybody imprisoned for that long falsely, deserves way more than that, but realistically, if all the above was provided, I'd like to believe that that person could be readjusted into society. Hopefully.

This problem should stop happening as cases prior to DNA get too old and prisoners are either out or dead. So, for the handful of people in this era where DNA could get somebody out, give them some serious help.

 

We give a fair bit more up here it seems

Steven Truscott (apparently killed a girl when he was 16 - wrongfully accused) was given $6.5 million for 17ish years, though he was paroled and not actually acquitted for another 20.

David Milgaard was in for 21 years and got 10mil

 

35 years? I'm not so sure I wouldn't be consumed with so much bitterness not to go Reservoir Dogs 'Stuck in the Middle with You' on any soul responsible still breathing. 35 years. Fuck that.

 

I have a cousin that was in prison for 17 years for having a part in beating a guy up that ended up dying. He just got out within the last couple months and it has been really neat seeing how he acts.

Everything is exciting to him and I can imagine that these guys that weren't guilty would be tickled far more over smaller things than my cousin. The whole process is neat when people that have changed or weren't guilty get released.

FOCUS: I would most definitely want to go camping. Camp, food, outdoors, family not much can beat that!

Alternate Focus: Time and a half of the average American income per year would suffice.

 

Alt Focus-All the posts saying "give this X dollars, at least a million!" sound real wonderful when you look at government as this magical garden where money grows on trees. It's not quite as awesome when you consider where that money comes from; you. The taxpayers. To subsidize yet another fuck-up by the STATE, they will gladly take money out of YOUR pockets.

So rather than punishing unrelated civilians, why not pass the responsibility on to the people involved in the miscarriage of justice? How about we take $1 million from the pension or estate of the ruling judge, if still applicable? How about we take a bunch of money from all the people who denied his appeal for the last 35 years prior to the last one?

Doesn't that sound fair? The people who screwed up pay for their consequences.

 

I'd expect, as a very minimum, the kind of pension a government employee would get for 35 years of service, plus the health care benefits. Way pensions are up here, that's 2% of your top income per year of employment. I could reasonably expect a 75K pension. Well, plus a little boost up front to help me buy a house and all that shit. Free university tuition doesn't sound that bad, but I'm not sure that's such a great idea. I mean, you try spending 35 years living under the thumb of a prison guard and all the shit that prison will throw at you when you're convicted of raping a 9 year old boy, and then try to live your life amongst a bunch of snotty entitled 19 year old brats who mistake having to write an essay for austerity. I mean, I can barely stand it now when people confuse legitimate brotherhood and sisterhood with being members of the same frat.

Me, I'd disappear somewhere. Take my money, move someplace with a big backyard like ToyToy88. Maybe some mountains to explore nearby. Spend the whole time sipping from a bottle of something alcoholic.

EDIT: I remember coming across a story the other day of a man who spend 4 years in prison on a false rape charge. The woman who made the false charge came forward and admitted it. I would start laying down some serious pain after that.

 

Society doesn't owe him anything. The prosecutor and judge who failed to do their job properly owe him everything. I hope he sues the fucking shit out of that county. Four motions for DNA testing denied? Are you fucking kidding me? He could have been out 10 fucking years ago.

$45 million. One for each year I was in, and another 10 for each year I might have been free. Then I'd spend the rest of my life mailing boxes of my own shit to the asshole judge(s) who didn't think it was worth the time, effort or money to prove my innocence. I fucking hate the American legal system.

 

double jeopardy means he gets 1 free rape, right?

 

I don't think there's enough money out there to make up for losing 35 years of your life to incompetence/malice.

 

We don't have a justice system, we have a legal system.

 

Here's everyone's chance to take our sweet revenge on prosecutors and judges without waiting 20 years for the acquittal.

(I don't know if she's guilty. But I hate Italians, so I want to believe they're ruining an innocent girl's life.)