No compo after 22yrs wrongly in jail
 

Link to the Story

This is so bad. I would definately sue. He didn't even get the $100 that Florida gives to its most vicious convicts.

Our state law does allow wrongfully convicted persons to sue the state for damages. They don't get much, it's in the six-figure range, but it's better than nothing.

Hopefully, he used his time in prison to get an education, improve himself in some way and maybe he'll have a shot at not ending up there again.

I wonder if there's any way under Florida law that he can go after that 17-year-old who is now 39 for ruining his life?

If he raped her now, would he be charged?

-Rudey

Ha Ha double jeapoardy? Yeah, I think she owes him a freeby. The least he should do is make sure there is huge media attention on who she is, put her name out there, make a web site.

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/007550.html

There is a comment half way down the page from someone who knows the victim (I am talking about the guy released) that was enlightening.

Regardless this girl was still raped, and it wasn't this man. He doesn't harbor any anger to her, and he feels bad that she was raped. To make comments that she owes him a freebie is disgusting. She is still a victim, you want to put her name and picture out there?

If he isn't angry with her, why do you want to persecute her?

Here is a quote from him:
"I have no hard feelings against her," he said. "I'm sorry it happened to her. I can't do anything to change what happened to her. I believe that when it started she believed she was telling the truth. I don't hold any animosity against her. But I was brought up to look at the good in people. But going through all this I lost a lot of faith in people. I look at people differently."

Link to article

James, James, James...

I know that statement was probably meant to be funny, but really really not necessary. Remember the whole discussion about rape in the Pledged thread? Perhaps you should review it.

The man being wrongly convicted and imprisoned for 22 years was not solely the issue of the rape victim but of the entire state justice system. Are you going to do the same to the members of the jury and the judge, the witnesses and prosecutors? Have their pictures posted and make them give "freebies." Please.

I think the man has a great attitude about wanting to move on and get his life back. It is not our place to do anything more than grant him that opportunity.

IT was meant to be flippant.

But, her eyewitness testimony, her picking him out of the line-up and saying that is the man that raped me, went an awful long way towards seeing him behind bars.

Yes, the system failed, but keep in mind there was no DNA testing then.

She picked him out as the one. That a pretty big mistake or deception. With enormous consequences for him. Perhaps sh could spend a dollar and send him a post card with an, "I'm sorry you spent 22 years in jail?"

And as far as his positive attitude, what else can he really say on TV like that? Foam at the mouth?

There are plenty of people who do react that way on camera and in print. That's the kind of reaction reporters love. Even the link you yourself posted gives first-person anectodes of the man as a very kind person so I'd like to give him the benefit of a doubt.
Perhaps it was an [honest] mistake. When you're in a situation like that and it's dark and you force your mind to be somewhere completely separate from where your body is, it's understandable that mistakes get made. Some victims remember every little detail, burned crystalline into their minds, about their attacker. Others make it fuzzy and push it to the back of their memories, hoping to never think about it again. It's different for everyone.

There is also the issue of dishonest witnesses and lawyers which was discussed in the link aurora_borealis posted. Who knows what really happened during trials? None of us.

I think it's horrible what happened to him and that he does deserve some sort of compensation from the state but comments like that against the rape victim (serious or not) are not really needed.

I'm with James. The woman that accused him certainly had some responsibility in this. Probably not as much as the prosecutors. I'm not sure this kind of thing can be an indictment against the unfair, corrupt system that many want it to be. It's imperfect, but I think it's the most fair you're going to find in the World (Canada, Australia and the UK are up there as well).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that the rape victim is completely blameless in this situation, she definitely has responsibility to own up to but there are other factors that are involved that we need to consider.

My issue in this thread is James' first flippant comment that she owed the man a "freebie." I don't appreciate that kind of comment.

Nor do I! :)

Well to be specific, and since we are reading a lot into a flip comment, the comment doesn't generalize or diminish victims of sexual assault all over the world like you guys are taking it.

It only applies to those that falsely accuse someone and sends them to jail for decades :)

Did she testify that he was the one who raped her? If so, she's both a victim and a criminal, and she deserves to spend some time behind bars.

Yes, agreed.