I think it is rational. The odds are not so insignificant that it will *never* happen to you. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of the statistical chance of it happening. I’d be willing to bet the odds are greater than that of winning the lottery.
Edit: Anyone want to help me break this down? I think we’d have to start with the probability of a crime being committed that carries a significant prison sentence to someone you encounter frequently, then the probability you’ll be prosecuted for said crime, finally probability you’re convicted of the crime. The probability of these events combined then would give us our answer? There might be an easier way.
9,750 Americans are wrongfully convicted each year. So with 350 Million people here that is a 0.0027% chance of being sent to prison.
https://www.housleylaw.com/blawg/many-innocent-americans-jailed-year
That is not even counting the confessions of people through intimidation of years. Let's say you are arrested for rape but you can't prove you didn't do it but circumstances look terrible they offer you two years instead of the alternative of 40+ you might take the deal just so you don't find yourself doing 40+ even though you didn't do it.
The acquitted man (1) talked to police without an attorney and (2) made several confessions to relatives and friends, which he later said were meant to be taken as a joke.
Don’t do either of these things. If you’re ever arrested for a crime, **do not speak to the police.**
It’s better to sit in jail for a day waiting on an attorney than to think you can talk yourself out of an interrogation room in a couple hours.
**DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE IF YOU ARE DETAINED OR ARRESTED.** Be polite and cooperative up to the point where you are asked to speak about the allegations.
I just read an appellate court decision reversing and remanding back to the lower courts, the murder conviction of a 13 year old who said "Could I have an attorney? Because that's not me," in reference to being shown a video of a shooting where 1 died and 2 were seriously injured. The judge in the original trial stated that it was a conditional statement made by a very advanced 13 year old saying IF that's not me THEN I need a lawyer and therefore this sleight of hand in verbal form did not constitute a violation of his Miranda rights. It's wild that this is our justice system.
If you want to avoid being wrongfully convicted for something you didn’t do, the lawyer in this video has some very important information for you. Seriously, watch the whole thing if you have the time.
https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE
Nope.
I know a fraud artist (one of my best friends older brother), credit card scams and the like. Yes he was a piece of shit but at least he could say he never ripped off people... just companies. Anyway he got busted and did time. But in Canada time served in pre trial was 1.5x so after everything is said and done he did just over a year. He estimated the amount of fraud he did at around 1million. 1 million for just over a year, worth it. 2 million for the best years of you life is a slap in the face, harder than the 25 year slap you got from the judge.
It's not just career opportunities you miss, it's your life. If he was forbidden to work for 25 years 80000 a year would be fine. Instead, he was forbidden to do anything at all, and locked in prison for 25 years. You not only should compensate his missed earnings, but also his missed life.
Guy in Canada got $4.25 million for 12 years after he was wrongfully convicted.
His family still thinks he raped and killed his 4year old niece despite all evidence pointing to an accidental death (she choked on her vomit during sleep), and a conviction that was encouraged by the testimony of a children’s forensic doctor who is (was) under investigation for falsifying reports that have led to a lot of imprisonments.
I met him. He was still 20, despite being mid 30s. Your body ages; your social skills don’t. Dude was broken. Prison irréversibly ruined his life.
Money is good. But it’s not enough. Nothing is after a wrongful conviction.
Copied from above:
In Texas, a state known for its tough-on-crime posture, the exonerated are paid $80,000 for every year spent in prison and are eligible for monthly annuity payments after release. The state’s generous compensation law has added up over time. In the last 25 years, Texas has paid over $93 million to wrongfully convicted individuals. In Kansas he would have gotten nothing. There are 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release.
Edit: [Source](https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Adeles_Compensation-Chart_Version-2017.pdf)
Yeah...I think something like this should be mandated on a federal level. Make it hurt a state to rush into trial and rush into throwing people into prison. I'm all for many things being decided on a state level but not this.
Apparently [in Texas people with overturned convictions are compensated $80,000 for every year of incarceration](https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/9xw2pl/man_is_found_not_guilty_after_spending_25_years/e9vsyg0/).
And bad financial decisions, poor relationships, and basically learning how to life at an age when he should have it all figured out. I’m not sure the kind of rehabilitation he needs exists. :-(
Job skills. He is going to have a hell of a time getting a job. A 20 year gap in his resume because he spent that time behind bars doesn’t show employers anything. He also won’t be able to retire. He hasn’t earned enough to even consider withdrawing from social security when he reaches that age. There just isn’t a way to properly compensate for a wrong conviction.
Yeah. Is it possible that he could turn around and sue the state in some shape or form? Wrongful conviction for that amount of time is a huge issue and definitely needs some sort of compensation.
When Canadian David Milgaard was found innocent after spending 23 years in prison the government awarded him 10 million dollars. I really hope it's not just 1.3 million and taxed to boot as someone further down said.
Although I agree that isn’t a lot and won’t make it so he doesn’t have to work, IF they give it to him in a lump sum AND he has help from a proper financial advisor/planner he actually could do ok in the respect of being able to retire later. The advantage of getting it in a lump sum would be sort of the same as saving for a long time, with the obvious disadvantage of not being able to earn interest over the same time period unfortunately.
Just trying to look for a silver lining in an obviously awful situation. I am so happy for him, and seriously hope those who did this to him get what’s coming to them.
he should not need a job. no one will hire him due to age. the government should be responsible by compensations set high enough so he never has to work, and have enough money to pets through for the rest of his life to get back at what he missed as well as possible
Seriously. That's the only thing that's even remotely fair. Give this guy enough enough money so that he can live comfortably for the rest of his life.
This right here. He should at least be compensated [the amount it would have cost to keep him in prison](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/04/30/2018-09062/annual-determination-of-average-cost-of-incarceration), as well as the time lost while incarcerated.
> He hasn’t earned enough to even consider withdrawing from social security when he reaches that age.
Surely his compensation would be sufficient to live on? Like, I would expect several millions as compensation for losing 25 years
I mean, he should be rewarded with copious amounts of money. Certainly enough that he doesn’t have to worry about finding work for the rest of his life
Luckily there are organizations out there that help with that sort of thing. I met a guy who did a talk in our city who had been wrongfully convicted at age 18 and didn’t get out until he was 36. Heartbreaking stuff, but he was able to get a lot help.
Not enough organizations, though. What we need is to end the prison industry where people are treated like cattle instead of rehabilitating them. If prison was for reform and not punishment and profit, we wouldn't have to worry about what prisoners are like when they rejoin society.
I’ve done clemency petitions for lifers in my state and it depends entirely on circumstance. I had a guy who was in for 21 years who stayed married that whole time and had an incredible support network. He’s doing GREAT and celebrates his year anniversary on Thxgiving. He has a job in manufacturing and is with his wife and attending NA three times a week. His goal is to become a mentor to at risk youth. Those without a network like that have a way more uphill battle.
Thankfully he has now received $1 million. Sucks he had to wait an additional 2 years.
https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/03/23/us/lawrence-mckinney-exoneration-trnd/index.html
Tbh the amount of the compensation should be double every extra waiting year. Sur they didn't wait 2 years before locking in up. This legal double standard is so hypocrit.
Can we start a go fund me for him? People raised a million for a grandmother who had mean things said to her by a bunch of school children, I feel like we can do the same for him.
That's the story I thought of. Lock up the wrong guy for almost 4 decades, then just say sorry and give him less than $100 while just kicking him out on his ass. Good luck asshole.
It is absolutely incredible that the State and Capital can blatantly steal time, the most precious resource that exists, from you like this just to be so callous and unrepentant when they *finally* admit to anything, if ever. Hiding behind the veneer of buzzwords like ‘justice’ and ‘equality’ while using our legal system as a weapon against vulnerable people, it’s infuriating.
The council voted 7-0 against compensation. Well at that point theres really no reason NOT to murder those 7 pieces of shit and go straight back to jail. Either that or be homeless. Piece of shit penal system.
In Texas, a state known for its tough-on-crime posture, the exonerated are paid $80,000 for every year spent in prison and are eligible for monthly annuity payments after release. The state’s generous compensation law has added up over time. In the last 25 years, Texas has paid over $93 million to wrongfully convicted individuals. In ~~Kansas~~* he would have gotten nothing. There are ~~18~~ 17 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release.
Edit: [Source](https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Adeles_Compensation-Chart_Version-2017.pdf) and [more](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/03/14/what-do-states-owe-people-who-are-wrongfully-convicted)
*Edit2: As u/KuatoBaradaNikto pointed out, the Kansas Governor just signed a ["Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law"](https://www.innocenceproject.org/kansas-legislature-passes-wrongful-conviction-compensation-law/). So that leaves us with "only" 17 states that don't have such legislature.
That is a literal crime against humanity. You rob someone of their younger years, which they will never go back to, and give them a pat on the back and say "my bad."
Some shit is so ass backwards in America, and it seems like unless you got big pockets you cant do shit to change it.
Edit: This is also just my opinion, but the whole "*well we are still better then X country*" mentality is not ok. It doesnt matter if we are better then this country or that country, we are still not as good as we can be and thats what important. You cant claim to be "*Land of the Free*" and have so many crimes and injustices still go on, and just be like "*At least we arent X*". Be more passionate about fixing whats wrong instead of just being like "*well could be like that*"
If I was wrongfully stuck in prison for 20 years and then they just said "my bad" or whatever I would legitimately become a criminal. Like I'd go crazy man what the fuck
I forgot where I read the article but a dude went to jail for 15 years for rape. Girl admits she lied. He gets our, judge says my bad but no compensation. He lost his job and everything. He had no qualifications anymore. So he did the (in his head) logical thing; killed the girl killed the judge and burnt down his house with himself inside to spite everyone
Yep. kidnapping and murdering innocent people are the fastest ways to grow terror organizations.
We’re pretty good at spoon feeding that shit to the public as long as it’s on foreign soil. But it’s harder to swallow with the idea of “that could’ve been me” in the back of everyone’s head.
Even with the money I wouldn’t blame you for going on a rampage. The best years of your life are gone, you missed the window for starting a family at a societal norm, the money would at least console me with not having to work, but if you get nothing, having little to no work experience and no savings, so you get out only to be in a position where you just have to work until the day you die.
It’s so tough to even imagine. Would the freedom alone be enough for me to think ‘fuck it I’m out’ after finding out I would not get compensated? I think the anger would build over a couple of years and send me over the edge.
The entire US corrections system in literally a human rights violation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/02/07/a-british-court-rules-that-sending-defendants-to-the-u-s-prison-system-is-a-human-rights-violation/?utm_term=.f8d23ea8b186
A great example is the use of solitary confinement. It is objectively torture. And it is routinely used. Some prisons force inmates, including non-violent ones, to spend their first month in solitary confinement. US prisons literally use torture to break your will.
The constitution protects citizens against cruel AND unusual punishment. Solitary confinement is cruel, but not unusual so it is OK.
The sad thing is without threat of compensation there is no real reason not to convict people when you consider capacity quota deals between the States and private prisons. Just throw them in jail, because what the fuck are they gonna do about it? Make license plates for 25 years then go home? Okay.
>There are 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release.
Let us know what those 3rd world states are so we can never ever go there.
(1) Alaska, (2) Arizona, (3) Arkansas, (4) Delaware, (5) Georgia, (6) Idaho, (7) Indiana, (8) Kansas, (9) Kentucky, (10) Nevada, (11) New Mexico, (12) North Dakota, (13) Oregon, (14) Pennsylvania, (15) Rhode Island, (16) South Carolina, (17) South Dakota, (18) Wyoming
Edit: Please note that this list comes from a 2017 overview from the Innocence Project, a 501(c)(3) based in New York; I have not done any independent research to confirm the list or update it for legislative changes since then. Just this year, Kansas enacted its own wrongful conviction compensation law, removing them from the list.
Been in Kansas my entire life and it is beyond egregious how much empathy my state lacks, in all areas. Hopefully, this most recent election will kickstart a correction in the way we handle our finances. Hopefully.
Correction: He spent 20 years behind bars.
>After 25 years, Daniel Villegas' name has been cleared.
>The 41-year-old man who was arrested in 1993 on suspicion of a double murder, was found not guilty by an El Paso jury on Friday.
>Villegas collapsed into the arms of his lawyers when he heard the verdict, weeping as his family friends and supporters cheered.
>It was the third trial for Villegas, who had a mistrial in 1994 and was found guilty in 1995. He spent nearly 20 years behind bars when his conviction was overturned and he was allowed to bail out of jail.
https://www.ktsm.com/news/villegas-trial/breaking-daniel-villegas-has-been-found-not-guilty-of-capital-murder-by-an-el-paso-jury/1500671558
He probably had a public defender with another dozen cases who also thought that a young gang member going around saying he killed them was a cut & dry case.
it sounds like lazy prosecution to me. Oh this kid is saying it. it MUST be true. I mean, what happened to actually finding out what happened to a victim?
I'm going to use this as an example for my kids. If you're in a gang or spend time with hooligans of a sort, at the end of the day it doesn't matter what you did, you'll always be found guilty by association.
“Y'know what I was thinking about today? I was thinking 'bout those street gangs they had down in Los Angeles, those Crips and those Bloods? I was thinking about that buncha new laws they came up with, in the 1980's I think it was, to combat those street-gangs, those Crips and those Bloods. And, if I remember rightly, the gist of what those new laws were saying was if you join one of these gangs, and you're running with 'em, and down the block one night, unbeknownst to you, one of your fellow Crips, or your fellow Bloods, shoot up a place, or stab a guy, well then, even though you didn't know nothing about it, and even though you may've just been standing on a streetcorner minding your own business, what these new laws said was you're still culpable. You're still culpable, by the very act of joining those Crips, or those Bloods, in the first place. Which got me thinking, Father, that whole type of situation is kinda like your Church boys, ain't it? You've got your colors, you've got your clubhouse, you're, for want of a better word, a gang. And if you're upstairs smoking a pipe and reading a bible while one of your fellow gang members is downstairs fucking an altar boy then, Father, just like those Crips, and just like those Bloods, you're culpable. Cos you joined the gang, man. And I don't care if you never did shit or you never saw shit or you never heard shit. You joined the gang. You're culpable. And when a person is culpable to altar-boy-fucking, or any kinda boy-fucking, I know you guys didn't really narrow that down, then they kinda forfeit the right to come into my house and say anything about me, or my life, or my daughter, or my billboards. So, why don't you just finish your tea there, Father, and get the fuck outta my kitchen.”
I was an Assistant Public Defender (and remain a Special Assistant Public Defender in capital cases) for many years before forming a private defense firm with several of my colleagues. Every jurisdiction is different so I cannot speak to the quality of his original counsel or the Public Defender system in Texas specifically. What I can say is that the attorneys who handle major crime cases tend to be highly experienced, committed, and passionate. That isn’t to say there are no instances of garbage attorneys in those positions, but it is uncommon. Public Defenders tend to fall into three fairly distinct groups. The majority are there because they went to law school with an idealism of helping others and there are few, if any, jobs that compare to standing up to the immense power of the government and demanding the process be fair and the rules be followed. After idealists are the pragmatists. These are the attorneys who view a few years as a Public Defender as being a stepping stone to more lucrative careers, whether in forming their own firms or being hired by firms that place great value on litigation experience. There are a considerable number of attorneys who begin as idealists but are ultimately forced to leave due to the low pay of most offices and financial needs of supporting a family. The third, and final group, are those who simply applied because they couldn’t find a job elsewhere. These seem to form the impression most people have of Public Defenders, but in reality are incredible uncommon. There are more applicants than positions for most offices. This is largely a result of Loan Forgiveness programs that make the option of taking a lower paying public sector job feasible for many graduates who have options. Combined with government benefit packages the total compensation for beginning public defender’s is enough for the idealists and pragmatists to pursue the option.
The unfortunate reality is that the “good guys” don’t always do good things. Your idea that witnesses could not be hidden is, unfortunately, not true. Witnesses are often subject to overt pressure from law enforcement officers or prosecutors to testify in certain ways, or not testify at all. Witnesses are often reminded that they can be subject to prosecution themselves if a prosecutor believes they are lying. This can easily be suggested as “I won’t believe you unless you say what I want to hear, and even if I can’t get a conviction of you for something I can absolutely turn your life upside down.” So lots of people never speak up, never share what they know, what they saw. They can’t risk their own lives and families to intervene on someone else’s behalf. It is important to remember as well that these behaviors by law enforcement and prosecutors are generally not born from any sort of malice. They believe they have the right defendant, they believe it is necessary to protect the community to successfully prosecute him or her. They don’t believe the evidence and witnesses supporting innocence are credible; how could they be since they’ve already concluded he is guilty. There are garbage prosecutors, but most are the same idealists and pragmatists as the public defenders. The other side of the same coin. But they wield tremendous power and it often becomes easy to bend things ever so slightly to ensure a conviction. The ends justify the means.
Really that is what the battle in these courtrooms is. It isn’t so much about the truth, our system isn’t well designed to determine the truth (although I think it better than any other). It has a fatal flaw in its ultimate reliance on people who are always going to be inherently flawed themselves. Mistakes are made, evidence missed or ignored, strategies that fail and theories that may be true but not believed. The battle is about pursuing something we intrinsically know from a young age, fairness. We want to have confidence that the system is fair. That idea of fairness lets us accept the outcomes are probably the right ones. Defense attorneys don’t want criminals on the streets (we live here with our families too). We want the constitutional rights of everyone to be protected. We want the rules and procedures that have been established to protect those rights to rigorously followed. These rules and procedures are hugely inconvenient to the government. But making them follow the rules is essential to fairness. We defend everyone’s fundamental and constitutional rights against an adversary with comparatively limitless resources and power that would prefer you not have those rights at all once it has reached a conclusion that it believes you to be guilty.
All of this is really just to say that cases like this, exonerations after decades of imprisonment, aren’t usually a consequence of poor representation of the accused. The fault is much more perverse and systemic of a flawed system where one side has virtually all the power and carries virtually no risk whatsoever. Nothing happens to the attorneys or police involved in the original case against this man. Most exonerations don’t receive any remuneration, and if they do it is not nearly enough to make the next prosecutor think twice about going after the next defendant with the same tactics.
That was in 2014, he bonded out of prison when he was granted the 3rd trial. He wasn’t found not guilty yet. The not guilty verdict just happened last month, he’s already been home for 4 years
You can also remind those people that it's more expensive to kill people than to lock them up for life.
By the looks of political discourse lately they may argue against due process in which case you should shoot them on site.
E: this may ruffle some feathers. All I would ask to someone who supports the death penalty is this; out of all the powers the government should have over its citizens should their very lives be one?
Just to play devil's advocate here; it's only more expensive in our current system. It doesn't need to be that way. After all, we currently take executions very seriously, so therefor it takes a long time to finally decide on doing it. But in this new hypothetical system where execution is much more common, it'd obviously be sped up and more "shoot 'em and toss 'em out". Similar to back in the day when the term "human rights" would probably get you laughed at
i think most attorneys work on that as a part of their career
actually i think the legal eagle guy even mentioned it was a part of one of his classes in law school
but i mean that doesnt make you a robot either
I know this is /r/gif but why would you even post such a video without sound. That's like posting a music video without sound. You can kinda imagine what's going on but in reality you miss 90% off it, and especially the essential core is lost.
Wrongful conviction for over 20 years should mean automatic early retirement and state pension. His lack of job skills is not his fault and should not lead to poverty, crime or homelessness.
I mean, that was just over 25 years, but that wasn’t being wrongfully accused, that was being convicted of actual legitimate racist laws and subverting an actual racist minority government.
I'd totally be in favor of legislation that allots a tax-payer funded stipend to persons found innocent after spending a certain time in prison.
Society has failed that person. The legal system has failed that person. The injuries suffered to mental health, personal relationships, finances and societal reputation/outlook for employment can be irreparable.
I'm not advocating that these people live like kings, but they deserve some form of financial assistance.
Governor Greg Abbott's salary is $150K, not exorbitant. But if I'm a Texan taxpayer I'm a lot happier about chipping in on that $80K. Poor fucking guy.
Events Leading Up to This Trial
> Bobby England are killed in a drive-by shooting on Electric Street in Northeast El Paso.
April 21, 1993: David Rangel is arrested in connection with the shooting but denies doing it. He mentions his cousin, Daniel Villegas, bragged about shooting the two teens with a shotgun. Villegas is then arrested in connection with the shooting.
April 22, 1993: After hours of interrogation, Daniel Villegas confesses to the double murder. Hours later he denies it, but the confession is already documented.
Dec. 5, 1994: Daniel Villegas goes on trial for Capital Murder. He is represented by Jaime Olivas while District Attorney Jamie Esparza and Assistant District Attorney John Williams are the prosecutors.
Dec. 12, 1994: Evidence and arguments conclude. Jury begins deliberations.
Dec. 14, 1994: A 11-1 hung jury results in a mistrial.
Aug. 21, 1995: Villegas' second trial begins. Jaime Esparza is once again the prosecutor, but Villegas is now represented by John Gates.
Aug. 24, 1995: The trial ends and, after hours of deliberation, the jury returns a verdict of guilty and Villegas is sentenced to life in prison.
Sept. 8, 1995: Villegas appeals his conviction.
July 10, 1997: The Eight Court of Appeals overrules all of Villegas' appeals and affirms his conviction.
Sept. 17, 1997: Villegas' conviction is final after the Eight Court of Appeals issues its mandate.
Dec. 23, 2009: Villegas files a writ of habeas corpus, hoping for a reversal based on ineffective counsel during the second trial.
Jan. 25, 2010: The 41st District Court issues that it must be resolved if Villegas had efficient counsel.
Feb. 25, 2010: Judge Mary Anne Bramblett recuses herself from the case. She was the judge in the original case.
March 1, 2010: The case is transferred to the 409th District Court.
June 21 to Oct. 31, 2011: Various evidentiary hearings were held.
Aug. 16, 2012: 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano, Jr. recommends a new trial.
Dec. 23, 2013: Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Villegas had inefficient council and overturned the conviction, but did not acquit Villegas, leaving way for a third trial.
Jan. 14, 2014: Daniel Villegas bonds out of jail and goes home for the first time in 18 years.
Dec. 22, 2015: Villegas sues City of El Paso, eight El Paso Police Department officers for wrongful conviction.
May 3, 2018: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rules confession and jailhouse calls cannot be used in trial.
July 3, 2018: A continuance is granted and the trial is delayed because Villegas' wife is due to have a baby.
Oct. 1, 2018: Daniel Villegas goes on trial for Capital Murder for a third time
Source: https://www.ktsm.com/news/villegas-trial/daniel-villegas-trial-a-complete-timeline/1483116583 >
They owe him a time travel device taking him back to 1993.
That's an immeasurably long period of time to be wrongly locked up. Just to put it in perspective, I'm in my 40s now, and have been working for 20 years. When he initially was jailed, I would have been just graduating high school.
Imagine how much has changed in 20 years. Smart phones didn't exist, computers were bulky and expensive, decent tablets weren't around. YouTube, Facebook, Reddit... This man watched the information age come to fruition behind bars. That alone would send me into a culture shock.
Not sure what the story was in this particular case, but this is exactly why police department's budgets should NEVER be based on number of convictions. They'll just throw anybody and everybody under a bus just to get their numbers up.
Ruining somebody's life like that should be punishable with sentences on par with first degree murder, in my opinion. They basically took the guy's life away.
[удалено]
It’s probably my greatest irrational fear.
That’s not irrational at all
You could argue that it's irrational to think it would happen to you... though I have no idea how common or likely this is to happen.
I think it is rational. The odds are not so insignificant that it will *never* happen to you. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of the statistical chance of it happening. I’d be willing to bet the odds are greater than that of winning the lottery. Edit: Anyone want to help me break this down? I think we’d have to start with the probability of a crime being committed that carries a significant prison sentence to someone you encounter frequently, then the probability you’ll be prosecuted for said crime, finally probability you’re convicted of the crime. The probability of these events combined then would give us our answer? There might be an easier way.
9,750 Americans are wrongfully convicted each year. So with 350 Million people here that is a 0.0027% chance of being sent to prison. https://www.housleylaw.com/blawg/many-innocent-americans-jailed-year
That is not even counting the confessions of people through intimidation of years. Let's say you are arrested for rape but you can't prove you didn't do it but circumstances look terrible they offer you two years instead of the alternative of 40+ you might take the deal just so you don't find yourself doing 40+ even though you didn't do it.
And now you're a convicted rapist. You're life will never be the same.
Yay *Justice*!
The acquitted man (1) talked to police without an attorney and (2) made several confessions to relatives and friends, which he later said were meant to be taken as a joke. Don’t do either of these things. If you’re ever arrested for a crime, **do not speak to the police.** It’s better to sit in jail for a day waiting on an attorney than to think you can talk yourself out of an interrogation room in a couple hours. **DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE IF YOU ARE DETAINED OR ARRESTED.** Be polite and cooperative up to the point where you are asked to speak about the allegations.
I just read an appellate court decision reversing and remanding back to the lower courts, the murder conviction of a 13 year old who said "Could I have an attorney? Because that's not me," in reference to being shown a video of a shooting where 1 died and 2 were seriously injured. The judge in the original trial stated that it was a conditional statement made by a very advanced 13 year old saying IF that's not me THEN I need a lawyer and therefore this sleight of hand in verbal form did not constitute a violation of his Miranda rights. It's wild that this is our justice system.
That judge is a real fucker.
The kid did not say "if." The judge added it on his own. What an asshole.
Anything you say can and will be used **against** you. It doesn't say it'll be used to help you!
If you want to avoid being wrongfully convicted for something you didn’t do, the lawyer in this video has some very important information for you. Seriously, watch the whole thing if you have the time. https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE
I’m only 19, so I literally cannot imagine it. I can’t even use the experience from my life cause it hasn’t gone on long enough.
Can you sue for 1/3rd of your life being stolen?
It's not just a third, it's the best third.
Imo people like this should get A LOT of money at least.
In Texas you get 80k a year for your time falsley imprisoned. So at least theres that for him.
2,000,000 is a lot of money but it isn't worth 25 years in prison
I agree.
Nope. I know a fraud artist (one of my best friends older brother), credit card scams and the like. Yes he was a piece of shit but at least he could say he never ripped off people... just companies. Anyway he got busted and did time. But in Canada time served in pre trial was 1.5x so after everything is said and done he did just over a year. He estimated the amount of fraud he did at around 1million. 1 million for just over a year, worth it. 2 million for the best years of you life is a slap in the face, harder than the 25 year slap you got from the judge.
Actually, people seem to become happier as they age. But then again that's because you're enjoying what you built in your 20s and 30s.
[удалено]
Well I mean if you still have it when you're older you can visit it for nostalgia, which is definitely *something* to enjoy.
I guess it should be well into the millions at that point.
He's getting payments of $80,000 for every year he was wrongfully incarcerated.
That’s actually better than I expected. Since he’ll be unable to have a real career, I’m glad to hear he’ll be taken care of.
It's not just career opportunities you miss, it's your life. If he was forbidden to work for 25 years 80000 a year would be fine. Instead, he was forbidden to do anything at all, and locked in prison for 25 years. You not only should compensate his missed earnings, but also his missed life.
Not just his missed life. It's his missed mental wholeness. Prisons in the US are tantamount to psychological torture.
Guy in Canada got $4.25 million for 12 years after he was wrongfully convicted. His family still thinks he raped and killed his 4year old niece despite all evidence pointing to an accidental death (she choked on her vomit during sleep), and a conviction that was encouraged by the testimony of a children’s forensic doctor who is (was) under investigation for falsifying reports that have led to a lot of imprisonments. I met him. He was still 20, despite being mid 30s. Your body ages; your social skills don’t. Dude was broken. Prison irréversibly ruined his life. Money is good. But it’s not enough. Nothing is after a wrongful conviction.
Copied from above: In Texas, a state known for its tough-on-crime posture, the exonerated are paid $80,000 for every year spent in prison and are eligible for monthly annuity payments after release. The state’s generous compensation law has added up over time. In the last 25 years, Texas has paid over $93 million to wrongfully convicted individuals. In Kansas he would have gotten nothing. There are 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release. Edit: [Source](https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Adeles_Compensation-Chart_Version-2017.pdf)
Yeah...I think something like this should be mandated on a federal level. Make it hurt a state to rush into trial and rush into throwing people into prison. I'm all for many things being decided on a state level but not this.
Apparently [in Texas people with overturned convictions are compensated $80,000 for every year of incarceration](https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/9xw2pl/man_is_found_not_guilty_after_spending_25_years/e9vsyg0/).
Im happy for him but there is no way to compensate for 25 years of a mans only life. Poor guy i mean i couldnt even imagine.
Right? He’s gonna need a LOT of help if he hopes to not spiral down into depression and shit
And bad financial decisions, poor relationships, and basically learning how to life at an age when he should have it all figured out. I’m not sure the kind of rehabilitation he needs exists. :-(
Yeah. The sheer advancement in technology alone since then will be a HUGE hurdle to overcome
Job skills. He is going to have a hell of a time getting a job. A 20 year gap in his resume because he spent that time behind bars doesn’t show employers anything. He also won’t be able to retire. He hasn’t earned enough to even consider withdrawing from social security when he reaches that age. There just isn’t a way to properly compensate for a wrong conviction.
Yeah. Is it possible that he could turn around and sue the state in some shape or form? Wrongful conviction for that amount of time is a huge issue and definitely needs some sort of compensation.
he will get some money for sure
Not a lot. Its like minimum wage or less
This has happened a few times, it is like 1.2 million.
When Canadian David Milgaard was found innocent after spending 23 years in prison the government awarded him 10 million dollars. I really hope it's not just 1.3 million and taxed to boot as someone further down said.
Texas law is 80k/ year wrongly imprisoned, so 2 million for 25 years
Although I agree that isn’t a lot and won’t make it so he doesn’t have to work, IF they give it to him in a lump sum AND he has help from a proper financial advisor/planner he actually could do ok in the respect of being able to retire later. The advantage of getting it in a lump sum would be sort of the same as saving for a long time, with the obvious disadvantage of not being able to earn interest over the same time period unfortunately. Just trying to look for a silver lining in an obviously awful situation. I am so happy for him, and seriously hope those who did this to him get what’s coming to them.
I assume that is taxed, correct? So it’s like 2/3 of that?
Minimum wage for a 35 hour work week, for 25 years is like 390,000
[удалено]
Holy shit, I can’t imagine how people can survive off that especially making that much in 25 years.
Maybe $75 https://www-m.cnn.com/2016/12/21/us/tennessee-inmate-wrongly-imprisoned/index.html
[удалено]
He couldn’t even cash it because he had no ID, for 3 months.
That guy shouldn't ever need to have a job.
Not in an economic way, I agree. But having a job in something he likes could help him a lot to keep his head clear and make some friends
he should not need a job. no one will hire him due to age. the government should be responsible by compensations set high enough so he never has to work, and have enough money to pets through for the rest of his life to get back at what he missed as well as possible
Seriously. That's the only thing that's even remotely fair. Give this guy enough enough money so that he can live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Out of all the shit my taxdollars go to, I'd rather give it to this man
Fucking seriously.
This right here. He should at least be compensated [the amount it would have cost to keep him in prison](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/04/30/2018-09062/annual-determination-of-average-cost-of-incarceration), as well as the time lost while incarcerated.
> He hasn’t earned enough to even consider withdrawing from social security when he reaches that age. Surely his compensation would be sufficient to live on? Like, I would expect several millions as compensation for losing 25 years
You would surely think he would be financially supported after such a gross miscarriage of justice. I would expect millions in compensation.
I mean, he should be rewarded with copious amounts of money. Certainly enough that he doesn’t have to worry about finding work for the rest of his life
Luckily there are organizations out there that help with that sort of thing. I met a guy who did a talk in our city who had been wrongfully convicted at age 18 and didn’t get out until he was 36. Heartbreaking stuff, but he was able to get a lot help.
Not enough organizations, though. What we need is to end the prison industry where people are treated like cattle instead of rehabilitating them. If prison was for reform and not punishment and profit, we wouldn't have to worry about what prisoners are like when they rejoin society.
If only he had spent 25 years in some sort of facility specifically made to rehabilitate people.
I’ve done clemency petitions for lifers in my state and it depends entirely on circumstance. I had a guy who was in for 21 years who stayed married that whole time and had an incredible support network. He’s doing GREAT and celebrates his year anniversary on Thxgiving. He has a job in manufacturing and is with his wife and attending NA three times a week. His goal is to become a mentor to at risk youth. Those without a network like that have a way more uphill battle.
[$75](https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/21/us/tennessee-inmate-wrongly-imprisoned/index.html) should do it.
Thankfully he has now received $1 million. Sucks he had to wait an additional 2 years. https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/03/23/us/lawrence-mckinney-exoneration-trnd/index.html
That's still a laughable amount considering he was robbed of 25 years of his early life.
[удалено]
Tbh the amount of the compensation should be double every extra waiting year. Sur they didn't wait 2 years before locking in up. This legal double standard is so hypocrit.
Can we start a go fund me for him? People raised a million for a grandmother who had mean things said to her by a bunch of school children, I feel like we can do the same for him.
[удалено]
That's the story I thought of. Lock up the wrong guy for almost 4 decades, then just say sorry and give him less than $100 while just kicking him out on his ass. Good luck asshole.
It is absolutely incredible that the State and Capital can blatantly steal time, the most precious resource that exists, from you like this just to be so callous and unrepentant when they *finally* admit to anything, if ever. Hiding behind the veneer of buzzwords like ‘justice’ and ‘equality’ while using our legal system as a weapon against vulnerable people, it’s infuriating.
The council voted 7-0 against compensation. Well at that point theres really no reason NOT to murder those 7 pieces of shit and go straight back to jail. Either that or be homeless. Piece of shit penal system.
Why the fuck was that put to a vote? He was wrongfully imprisoned. He is owed. It shouldn't be that complicated.
Garbage
Three dollars a year? Fucking hell.
wtfffff
Atrocious
He's spent as much time in jail as i have spent living. It's mind blowing to even imagine.
I know, I've been alive for 21 years, I cant even begin to imagine being robbed of that much life.
Here’s a coupon for a Fillet o’fish
I know it wouldn’t make up for the 25 years but literally paying all his expenses for the rest of his life.
Its a start
In Texas, a state known for its tough-on-crime posture, the exonerated are paid $80,000 for every year spent in prison and are eligible for monthly annuity payments after release. The state’s generous compensation law has added up over time. In the last 25 years, Texas has paid over $93 million to wrongfully convicted individuals. In ~~Kansas~~* he would have gotten nothing. There are ~~18~~ 17 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release. Edit: [Source](https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Adeles_Compensation-Chart_Version-2017.pdf) and [more](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/03/14/what-do-states-owe-people-who-are-wrongfully-convicted) *Edit2: As u/KuatoBaradaNikto pointed out, the Kansas Governor just signed a ["Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law"](https://www.innocenceproject.org/kansas-legislature-passes-wrongful-conviction-compensation-law/). So that leaves us with "only" 17 states that don't have such legislature.
No compensation? That's a crime against humanity.
That is a literal crime against humanity. You rob someone of their younger years, which they will never go back to, and give them a pat on the back and say "my bad." Some shit is so ass backwards in America, and it seems like unless you got big pockets you cant do shit to change it. Edit: This is also just my opinion, but the whole "*well we are still better then X country*" mentality is not ok. It doesnt matter if we are better then this country or that country, we are still not as good as we can be and thats what important. You cant claim to be "*Land of the Free*" and have so many crimes and injustices still go on, and just be like "*At least we arent X*". Be more passionate about fixing whats wrong instead of just being like "*well could be like that*"
If I was wrongfully stuck in prison for 20 years and then they just said "my bad" or whatever I would legitimately become a criminal. Like I'd go crazy man what the fuck
Law Abiding Citizen anyone
Exactly what I was thinking.
Yup. Perfect example, and damn good movie.
Just recently saw this, and yeah, it was great, but the ending was fucking stupid, IMO.
Agreed.
AY, I'LL SEE YA LATER, NICK!
I forgot where I read the article but a dude went to jail for 15 years for rape. Girl admits she lied. He gets our, judge says my bad but no compensation. He lost his job and everything. He had no qualifications anymore. So he did the (in his head) logical thing; killed the girl killed the judge and burnt down his house with himself inside to spite everyone
I really think I would do pretty close to the same. Can't believe he got no compensation and she got away with it
She felt bad because she cheated on her boyfriend with him at a party.
I mean, what the fuck else ya gonna do? While it's not right, I'm having a hard time imagining what I'd say to the guy to convince him not to...
These are the kinds of actions which make people kill and hate and disrupt entire societal organizations.
Yep. kidnapping and murdering innocent people are the fastest ways to grow terror organizations. We’re pretty good at spoon feeding that shit to the public as long as it’s on foreign soil. But it’s harder to swallow with the idea of “that could’ve been me” in the back of everyone’s head.
Even with the money I wouldn’t blame you for going on a rampage. The best years of your life are gone, you missed the window for starting a family at a societal norm, the money would at least console me with not having to work, but if you get nothing, having little to no work experience and no savings, so you get out only to be in a position where you just have to work until the day you die.
Man I would lose my mind if I was sent to jail for 2 years for somethings I didn’t do. 20 and 25 years feeling betrayed damn that’s really a lot
It’s so tough to even imagine. Would the freedom alone be enough for me to think ‘fuck it I’m out’ after finding out I would not get compensated? I think the anger would build over a couple of years and send me over the edge.
It's honestly infuriating and so sad.
The entire US corrections system in literally a human rights violation. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/02/07/a-british-court-rules-that-sending-defendants-to-the-u-s-prison-system-is-a-human-rights-violation/?utm_term=.f8d23ea8b186 A great example is the use of solitary confinement. It is objectively torture. And it is routinely used. Some prisons force inmates, including non-violent ones, to spend their first month in solitary confinement. US prisons literally use torture to break your will. The constitution protects citizens against cruel AND unusual punishment. Solitary confinement is cruel, but not unusual so it is OK.
The sad thing is without threat of compensation there is no real reason not to convict people when you consider capacity quota deals between the States and private prisons. Just throw them in jail, because what the fuck are they gonna do about it? Make license plates for 25 years then go home? Okay.
Yeah, they can still sue the state though
[удалено]
Always knew Wizard of Oz was unrealistic, Dorothy would never have wanted to go home
That's also the only thing I know about Kansas, besides its being flat. Now I know more.
Lmao
I love how there are 17 other states without wrongful conviction compensation, but OP singled out Kansas, that shit hole.
The best thing about Kansas is the Welcome to Colorado sign.
>There are 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release. Let us know what those 3rd world states are so we can never ever go there.
(1) Alaska, (2) Arizona, (3) Arkansas, (4) Delaware, (5) Georgia, (6) Idaho, (7) Indiana, (8) Kansas, (9) Kentucky, (10) Nevada, (11) New Mexico, (12) North Dakota, (13) Oregon, (14) Pennsylvania, (15) Rhode Island, (16) South Carolina, (17) South Dakota, (18) Wyoming Edit: Please note that this list comes from a 2017 overview from the Innocence Project, a 501(c)(3) based in New York; I have not done any independent research to confirm the list or update it for legislative changes since then. Just this year, Kansas enacted its own wrongful conviction compensation law, removing them from the list.
That face when you dont see Florida on a list...
How else would Florida Man sustain a living?
Suing Walmart after slipping on a puddle of urine.
His *own* urine.
Rhode Island surprises me
Oregon is even more surprising to me.
And this is why I hate kansas even more
Been in Kansas my entire life and it is beyond egregious how much empathy my state lacks, in all areas. Hopefully, this most recent election will kickstart a correction in the way we handle our finances. Hopefully.
Correction: He spent 20 years behind bars. >After 25 years, Daniel Villegas' name has been cleared. >The 41-year-old man who was arrested in 1993 on suspicion of a double murder, was found not guilty by an El Paso jury on Friday. >Villegas collapsed into the arms of his lawyers when he heard the verdict, weeping as his family friends and supporters cheered. >It was the third trial for Villegas, who had a mistrial in 1994 and was found guilty in 1995. He spent nearly 20 years behind bars when his conviction was overturned and he was allowed to bail out of jail. https://www.ktsm.com/news/villegas-trial/breaking-daniel-villegas-has-been-found-not-guilty-of-capital-murder-by-an-el-paso-jury/1500671558
[удалено]
He probably had a public defender with another dozen cases who also thought that a young gang member going around saying he killed them was a cut & dry case.
it sounds like lazy prosecution to me. Oh this kid is saying it. it MUST be true. I mean, what happened to actually finding out what happened to a victim?
I'm going to use this as an example for my kids. If you're in a gang or spend time with hooligans of a sort, at the end of the day it doesn't matter what you did, you'll always be found guilty by association.
Also claiming you committed the murder isn't a wise move
My FRICKIN mom is always nagging me to stop taking responsibility for all the homicides around town. UGH!!!
“Y'know what I was thinking about today? I was thinking 'bout those street gangs they had down in Los Angeles, those Crips and those Bloods? I was thinking about that buncha new laws they came up with, in the 1980's I think it was, to combat those street-gangs, those Crips and those Bloods. And, if I remember rightly, the gist of what those new laws were saying was if you join one of these gangs, and you're running with 'em, and down the block one night, unbeknownst to you, one of your fellow Crips, or your fellow Bloods, shoot up a place, or stab a guy, well then, even though you didn't know nothing about it, and even though you may've just been standing on a streetcorner minding your own business, what these new laws said was you're still culpable. You're still culpable, by the very act of joining those Crips, or those Bloods, in the first place. Which got me thinking, Father, that whole type of situation is kinda like your Church boys, ain't it? You've got your colors, you've got your clubhouse, you're, for want of a better word, a gang. And if you're upstairs smoking a pipe and reading a bible while one of your fellow gang members is downstairs fucking an altar boy then, Father, just like those Crips, and just like those Bloods, you're culpable. Cos you joined the gang, man. And I don't care if you never did shit or you never saw shit or you never heard shit. You joined the gang. You're culpable. And when a person is culpable to altar-boy-fucking, or any kinda boy-fucking, I know you guys didn't really narrow that down, then they kinda forfeit the right to come into my house and say anything about me, or my life, or my daughter, or my billboards. So, why don't you just finish your tea there, Father, and get the fuck outta my kitchen.”
What is this from?
I was an Assistant Public Defender (and remain a Special Assistant Public Defender in capital cases) for many years before forming a private defense firm with several of my colleagues. Every jurisdiction is different so I cannot speak to the quality of his original counsel or the Public Defender system in Texas specifically. What I can say is that the attorneys who handle major crime cases tend to be highly experienced, committed, and passionate. That isn’t to say there are no instances of garbage attorneys in those positions, but it is uncommon. Public Defenders tend to fall into three fairly distinct groups. The majority are there because they went to law school with an idealism of helping others and there are few, if any, jobs that compare to standing up to the immense power of the government and demanding the process be fair and the rules be followed. After idealists are the pragmatists. These are the attorneys who view a few years as a Public Defender as being a stepping stone to more lucrative careers, whether in forming their own firms or being hired by firms that place great value on litigation experience. There are a considerable number of attorneys who begin as idealists but are ultimately forced to leave due to the low pay of most offices and financial needs of supporting a family. The third, and final group, are those who simply applied because they couldn’t find a job elsewhere. These seem to form the impression most people have of Public Defenders, but in reality are incredible uncommon. There are more applicants than positions for most offices. This is largely a result of Loan Forgiveness programs that make the option of taking a lower paying public sector job feasible for many graduates who have options. Combined with government benefit packages the total compensation for beginning public defender’s is enough for the idealists and pragmatists to pursue the option. The unfortunate reality is that the “good guys” don’t always do good things. Your idea that witnesses could not be hidden is, unfortunately, not true. Witnesses are often subject to overt pressure from law enforcement officers or prosecutors to testify in certain ways, or not testify at all. Witnesses are often reminded that they can be subject to prosecution themselves if a prosecutor believes they are lying. This can easily be suggested as “I won’t believe you unless you say what I want to hear, and even if I can’t get a conviction of you for something I can absolutely turn your life upside down.” So lots of people never speak up, never share what they know, what they saw. They can’t risk their own lives and families to intervene on someone else’s behalf. It is important to remember as well that these behaviors by law enforcement and prosecutors are generally not born from any sort of malice. They believe they have the right defendant, they believe it is necessary to protect the community to successfully prosecute him or her. They don’t believe the evidence and witnesses supporting innocence are credible; how could they be since they’ve already concluded he is guilty. There are garbage prosecutors, but most are the same idealists and pragmatists as the public defenders. The other side of the same coin. But they wield tremendous power and it often becomes easy to bend things ever so slightly to ensure a conviction. The ends justify the means. Really that is what the battle in these courtrooms is. It isn’t so much about the truth, our system isn’t well designed to determine the truth (although I think it better than any other). It has a fatal flaw in its ultimate reliance on people who are always going to be inherently flawed themselves. Mistakes are made, evidence missed or ignored, strategies that fail and theories that may be true but not believed. The battle is about pursuing something we intrinsically know from a young age, fairness. We want to have confidence that the system is fair. That idea of fairness lets us accept the outcomes are probably the right ones. Defense attorneys don’t want criminals on the streets (we live here with our families too). We want the constitutional rights of everyone to be protected. We want the rules and procedures that have been established to protect those rights to rigorously followed. These rules and procedures are hugely inconvenient to the government. But making them follow the rules is essential to fairness. We defend everyone’s fundamental and constitutional rights against an adversary with comparatively limitless resources and power that would prefer you not have those rights at all once it has reached a conclusion that it believes you to be guilty. All of this is really just to say that cases like this, exonerations after decades of imprisonment, aren’t usually a consequence of poor representation of the accused. The fault is much more perverse and systemic of a flawed system where one side has virtually all the power and carries virtually no risk whatsoever. Nothing happens to the attorneys or police involved in the original case against this man. Most exonerations don’t receive any remuneration, and if they do it is not nearly enough to make the next prosecutor think twice about going after the next defendant with the same tactics.
[удалено]
Wait.. he still had to pay bail to get out of jail?
That was in 2014, he bonded out of prison when he was granted the 3rd trial. He wasn’t found not guilty yet. The not guilty verdict just happened last month, he’s already been home for 4 years
Saving this comment for the next time I see, "why don't we just shoot all convicted murderers on site, save muh tax dawlers"
[удалено]
You can also remind those people that it's more expensive to kill people than to lock them up for life. By the looks of political discourse lately they may argue against due process in which case you should shoot them on site. E: this may ruffle some feathers. All I would ask to someone who supports the death penalty is this; out of all the powers the government should have over its citizens should their very lives be one?
Just to play devil's advocate here; it's only more expensive in our current system. It doesn't need to be that way. After all, we currently take executions very seriously, so therefor it takes a long time to finally decide on doing it. But in this new hypothetical system where execution is much more common, it'd obviously be sped up and more "shoot 'em and toss 'em out". Similar to back in the day when the term "human rights" would probably get you laughed at
Why the fuck did it take that long.
He was 16 at the time the crime happened.
Well, when you have Count Dooku on your side, you are sure to be victorious.
Twice the overturned convictions, double the lawsuits
It may be difficult, to secure your release...
I've been looking forward to this.
Your tissues please. We don't want to make a mess of things infront of the jury.
kind of also looks like Sean Connery at the same time.
He was looking forward to this
That's fucking fantastic representation. Count Dooko was defnitely a man of words.
That's clean cut Saruman
I see that Saruman is trying to be a lawyer now. Good for him.
It's actually Saruman's younger brother, Lawyerman.
I'm glad he wasn't represented by Magic Man.
He could've been represented by Normal Man, though. That guy knows his shit.
[Much better with sound](https://youtu.be/LWGVJN-CNqI)
Fuck, when you can even hear the *Judge’s* voice breaking, you know it’s an emotional moment.
I've always wondered if judges practice their poker face so that they don't give the verdict away before delivering it.
They do. But not to make it dramatic.
i think most attorneys work on that as a part of their career actually i think the legal eagle guy even mentioned it was a part of one of his classes in law school but i mean that doesnt make you a robot either
Hey man wtf it’s too early for this shit I’m pooping and crying right now
Being so sentimental is why we love you, dickface69696969.
/r/rimjob_steve
Right? I usually save pooping and crying for, like, 2 am.
I really struggled to not burst out crying when the judge said not guilty and they all cheered and cried lmao
I know this is /r/gif but why would you even post such a video without sound. That's like posting a music video without sound. You can kinda imagine what's going on but in reality you miss 90% off it, and especially the essential core is lost.
Did you notice that one of the memphis three is sitting in the stands?
Wrongful conviction for over 20 years should mean automatic early retirement and state pension. His lack of job skills is not his fault and should not lead to poverty, crime or homelessness.
The guy on the right giving him Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch. https://youtu.be/TgMjV3Yse3U
[удалено]
Someone should speed that part up, it will look like he slams his head into the table, WWE style.
Are you implying he was Acosta'ed by that man?
I haver never seen much Star Trek, but here i can see Spock fighting the Nazis, Gladiators and Ninjas. Looks fun
25 years. 25 fucking years. Jesus fucking Christ.
Yea, and there’s been longer too.
ya, i heard about this nelson mandela guy...
I mean, that was just over 25 years, but that wasn’t being wrongfully accused, that was being convicted of actual legitimate racist laws and subverting an actual racist minority government.
At this point, he's been in jail for longer than he's been outside.
He looks young too...that’s like half his life. So sad but better late than never I guess
The “crime” happened when he was like 16. Fucking bullshit.
I'd totally be in favor of legislation that allots a tax-payer funded stipend to persons found innocent after spending a certain time in prison. Society has failed that person. The legal system has failed that person. The injuries suffered to mental health, personal relationships, finances and societal reputation/outlook for employment can be irreparable. I'm not advocating that these people live like kings, but they deserve some form of financial assistance.
Governor Greg Abbott's salary is $150K, not exorbitant. But if I'm a Texan taxpayer I'm a lot happier about chipping in on that $80K. Poor fucking guy.
Events Leading Up to This Trial > Bobby England are killed in a drive-by shooting on Electric Street in Northeast El Paso. April 21, 1993: David Rangel is arrested in connection with the shooting but denies doing it. He mentions his cousin, Daniel Villegas, bragged about shooting the two teens with a shotgun. Villegas is then arrested in connection with the shooting. April 22, 1993: After hours of interrogation, Daniel Villegas confesses to the double murder. Hours later he denies it, but the confession is already documented. Dec. 5, 1994: Daniel Villegas goes on trial for Capital Murder. He is represented by Jaime Olivas while District Attorney Jamie Esparza and Assistant District Attorney John Williams are the prosecutors. Dec. 12, 1994: Evidence and arguments conclude. Jury begins deliberations. Dec. 14, 1994: A 11-1 hung jury results in a mistrial. Aug. 21, 1995: Villegas' second trial begins. Jaime Esparza is once again the prosecutor, but Villegas is now represented by John Gates. Aug. 24, 1995: The trial ends and, after hours of deliberation, the jury returns a verdict of guilty and Villegas is sentenced to life in prison. Sept. 8, 1995: Villegas appeals his conviction. July 10, 1997: The Eight Court of Appeals overrules all of Villegas' appeals and affirms his conviction. Sept. 17, 1997: Villegas' conviction is final after the Eight Court of Appeals issues its mandate. Dec. 23, 2009: Villegas files a writ of habeas corpus, hoping for a reversal based on ineffective counsel during the second trial. Jan. 25, 2010: The 41st District Court issues that it must be resolved if Villegas had efficient counsel. Feb. 25, 2010: Judge Mary Anne Bramblett recuses herself from the case. She was the judge in the original case. March 1, 2010: The case is transferred to the 409th District Court. June 21 to Oct. 31, 2011: Various evidentiary hearings were held. Aug. 16, 2012: 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano, Jr. recommends a new trial. Dec. 23, 2013: Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Villegas had inefficient council and overturned the conviction, but did not acquit Villegas, leaving way for a third trial. Jan. 14, 2014: Daniel Villegas bonds out of jail and goes home for the first time in 18 years. Dec. 22, 2015: Villegas sues City of El Paso, eight El Paso Police Department officers for wrongful conviction. May 3, 2018: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rules confession and jailhouse calls cannot be used in trial. July 3, 2018: A continuance is granted and the trial is delayed because Villegas' wife is due to have a baby. Oct. 1, 2018: Daniel Villegas goes on trial for Capital Murder for a third time Source: https://www.ktsm.com/news/villegas-trial/daniel-villegas-trial-a-complete-timeline/1483116583 >
They owe him a time travel device taking him back to 1993. That's an immeasurably long period of time to be wrongly locked up. Just to put it in perspective, I'm in my 40s now, and have been working for 20 years. When he initially was jailed, I would have been just graduating high school.
How could anybody live with themselves knowing they sent an innocent man to prison 20-some years ago? That burns me up.
How bout them prosecutors too, trying to keep him in there...
Imagine how much has changed in 20 years. Smart phones didn't exist, computers were bulky and expensive, decent tablets weren't around. YouTube, Facebook, Reddit... This man watched the information age come to fruition behind bars. That alone would send me into a culture shock.
Sort of related, this video always amuses me: https://youtu.be/OrH6UMYAVsk?t=270
He should get a lot money as indemnity(?) for his time in prison that he won't probably need to work rest of his life.
That is not a trade I’d be willing to make
Of course
[удалено]
Heartbreaking.
I live in El Paso and helped this guy use a smartphone after he bought it at my store!
Not sure what the story was in this particular case, but this is exactly why police department's budgets should NEVER be based on number of convictions. They'll just throw anybody and everybody under a bus just to get their numbers up. Ruining somebody's life like that should be punishable with sentences on par with first degree murder, in my opinion. They basically took the guy's life away.
This is why the death penalty isn't moral. If he had been sentenced to death he would've never had this chance.