“Suppose you spent five years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. How much does the government owe you?
“Over the past few decades, the rise of DNA exonerations has made this a more pressing question. And many states have created explicit policies to answer it.
“But those policies vary wildly from state to state.
“Twenty-one states provide no money — though people who are exonerated can sue for damages. Twelve states and the District of Columbia award damages on a case-by-case basis. Another 17 states pay a fixed amount per year of imprisonment.” *
The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur (http://www.twitter.com/cenkuygur) and guest host Lissette Padilla (http://www.twitter.com/lizzette) discuss.
* Read more here http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/06/16/320356084/when-innocent-people-go-to-prison-states-pay