Did you hear that Kevin Strickland is now a millionaire?

Nothing will get his 43 years back but if people want to donate to sweeten his last years, I wouldn’t judge their actions.

What I would like to understand is, why is there a need to donate for this poor guy’s (which in itself is very commendable) when it would be obvious in my book that the state would have to give this man a load of money.

It’s not half enough.
His whole life is gone.

@rebbel I think you get a new suit and a handshake.

The fuck…..

Which is about half of what he would have made at minimum wage for those 43 years.
He deserves a lot more than that.

Nothing takes the place of the lost years of his life, so I say let him have all that he can have.

So about $23,000 for each incarcerated year. That is really lousy compensation – barekyl minimum wage.

North Carolina sucks (they do anyway, but this is another example).

There ought to be some mechanism for compensation when a state fucks up.

Nor does the money take the place of the stress of being in jail – the bad food, the fights, the nasty treatment from the guards, the condescending attitudes from all staff, the lack of freedom to travel where he wants, see movies that he wants, date, marry, have sex when he wants, see his children grow up (if he has children), communicate with his family and friends when he wants, the stigma of being in jail, so many things that money just can’t take the place of, and if it comes down to 23k a year, that’s not any type of compensation for the huge list of devastating negatives.

The Midwest Innocence Project set up the GoFundMe fundraiser as they fought for Kevin Strickland’s release, noting that he wouldn’t receive compensation from Missouri and would need help paying for basic living expenses. The state only allows wrongful imprisonment payments to people who were exonerated through DNA evidence, so the 62-year-old Strickland wouldn’t qualify.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article256141887.html#storylink=cpy

I fail to see why it matters whether the guy was cleared through DNA evidence or not. It does my heart good that people are doing this, and I suspect that a lot more will be coming in for him. But you’re all absolutely right, no amount of money can make up for his lost life. He was 18 years old and was home watching TV when the murders happened. Just sickening.

Is a man’s entire adult life only worth an apology? Apparently so. This does make you wonder how many more like him are rotting in jail and should be out living happy, productive lives. How does one even begin to adjust to what the outside world is like now, let alone be handed a small fortune (which does not begin to be enough). He probably has no social network to help guide him through this. It’s a tragedy on all accounts.

I agree he deserves to live his years in comfort, but reconsider the idea of a state payout. That would work against the wrongly incarcerated. If a big payout were on the table even fewer would see a release.
I think this way is better. What’s more, it gives the individual a chance to see people care about them.

OR it would lead to more thorough investigations and trials, with fewer false convictions.

No! But it sounds like justice after what he’s been thrhough. Now he just needs the right girlfriend.

Anyone know his phone number…?

I hate sounding cynical, but @Patty_Melt I believe you’re right.

If a big payout were on the table even fewer would see a release.

Let’s get real…if the govt can save a buck, they will, no matter what they profess. And even worse, if they’re under great pressure to solve a crime, they will, one way or another. They’re elected officials and if they want to win another election, they’ll give the public what it wants. Granted, not in every case, but in too many. That’s why Kevin was in prison since he was 18 years old. Like, what is there to believe in anymore??

In light of the last couple of high profile cases it was only hard video evidence that allowed justice to prevail. When the courts are proceeding without such evidence I don’t have much faith that the right things happen.

Yeah, that’s like under 4 bucks an hour, no breaks, no overtime. It’s what he could have earned working minimum wage and still been able to have a life. If the state won’t compensate, the least we can do is lock up a few prosecutors for life, no parole.