Current:Home > MyMan wrongfully convicted of sexual assault gets $1.75 million after 35 years in prison -Quantum Capital Pro
Man wrongfully convicted of sexual assault gets $1.75 million after 35 years in prison
View
Date:2025-04-24 17:46:59
A Michigan man who was wrongfully imprisoned for sexual assault is now getting a major payout from the state.
The Michigan Attorney General's office approved $1.75 million in compensation to Louis Wright, who spent 35 years in prison for a sexual assault he didn't commit. The state exonerated Wright of the charges and he was released in November after a DNA test ruled him out as the suspect.
Those who are exonerated based on new evidence can receive $50,000 for every year spent in a Michigan prison, but the attorney general's office will sometimes resist paying due to strict criteria in the law.
A judge approved the deal Wednesday. Wright told the Associated Press he plans to use the money to buy a house for himself and a vehicle for a sister.
“Nothing can make up for 35 years in a Michigan prison for something he did not do," Wright's attorney, Wolf Mueller, told the Associated Press. “This is a first step toward getting Louis’ life back at the age of 65.”
Mueller filed a lawsuit against Albion police, alleging Wright's rights were violated and is seeking more than $100 million in damages.
DNA clears Wright's name from 1988 crime
Wright maintained his innocence since being accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Albion, a town in southwestern Michigan.
The Cooley Law School Innocence Project said on its website Albion police named Wright as a suspect after an off-duty officer said Wright was seen in the neighborhood before the assault happened. Police claimed Wright confessed, but the interview wasn't recorded and Wright did not sign a confession.
The victim wasn't asked to identify anyone nor did police conduct identification procedures, the Innocent Project said.
Thousands freed from US prisons
More than 3,400 people have been exonerated of crimes they didn't commit since 1989, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. They spent more than 31,000 years in prison.
The registry tracks six factors that lead to wrongful convictions: official misconduct, perjury or false accusation, false or misleading forensic evidence, false confession, mistaken witness identification and inadequate legal defense.
Black people make up 53% of the 3,200 exonerations in the National Registry of Exonerations, making them seven times more likely than white people to be falsely convicted of serious crimes, according to the registry's report.
Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; Associated Press.
veryGood! (33)
Related
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- GA grand jury recommended charges against 3 senators, NY mayor's migrant comments: 5 Things podcast
- Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker suspended without pay amid sexual misconduct investigation
- The United States marks 22 years since 9/11, from ground zero to Alaska
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Pearl Jam postpones Indiana concert 'due to illness': 'We wish there was another way around it'
- A boat capsizing in north-central Nigeria killed at least 24 people. Dozens of others are missing
- Delta Air Lines employees work up a sweat at boot camp, learning how to deice planes
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods Film Their First Video Together in 4 Years Following Reunion
Ranking
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Hurricane Lee updates: No direct hit expected, but rip currents headed to East Coast
- Are almonds good for you? Learn more about this nutrient-dense snack.
- Tyler Reddick wins in overtime at Kansas Speedway after three-wide move
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- ‘The Nun II’ conjures $32.6 million to top box office
- Kim Jong Un departs Pyongyang en route to Russia, South Korean official says
- Sabotage attempts reported at polling stations in occupied Ukraine as Russia holds local elections
Recommendation
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
Why autoworkers' leader is calling for a 4-day work week from Big 3 car makers
Misery Index Week 2: Alabama has real problems, as beatdown by Texas revealed
Oprah Winfrey: Envy is the great destroyer of happiness
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Here's how to ask for a letter of recommendation (and actually get a good one.)
A Pakistani soldier is killed in a shootout with militants near Afghanistan border, military says
Country singer-songwriter Charlie Robison dies in Texas at age 59