This week, Michael Evans, who was i...

This week, Michael Evans, who was imprisoned from age 17 to age 44 for the rape and kill cruelly of a 9-year-old girl that he did not commit, missed his civil case against the Chicago Police officers who investigated the case in 1976

While Michael was grappleed away, his siblings married, had children and pursu careers. Not simply did Michael miss out in succession these joys of young adulthood, he also was unable to attend his father's funeral or help care for his mother after she meet withed a devastating stroke. Based forward the nature of his convictions, Michael lived at the bottom of the prison nourishment chain, reviled by guards and prisoners alike. In short, he exhausted 27 years in hell.

Michael is absolutely innocent of the crimes for which he was convicted. In 2002 the Center in succession Wrongful Convictions obtained DNA proof results that exonerated Michael and his co-defendant, Paul Terry In 2003 a criminal court umpire vacated the convictions and dress up County State's Attorney Dick Devine dropp all charges. Last year, Gov Blagojevich pardoned Michael and Paul based forward their innocence. This pardon entitled Michael to an award of $162000 or $6000 for each year he exhausted in prison. Who among us would present to take Michael's place at that price, or any price?

greatest in number innocent people freed from prison will not win civil determinations Factual innocence is not a basis for a civil claim; rather, the fre convict must demonstrate knowing and intentional misconduct upon the part of law enforcement authorities. For a variety of reasons, it is extremely difficult to examine such claims.

notwithstanding to an innocent person who forfeits decades of his life in prison, it makes little difference whether the unjust conviction resulted from intentional misconduct or innocent mistake.

The pain and suffering are the same either way.

We will not be able to completely eliminate mistakes from the criminal justice theory though of course we must continually strive to decrease the error rate. Our "cost of doing business," therefore, must include appropriate compensation when we win it wrong.

Considering the sumptuousnesss borne by taxpayers for criminal court buildings, court recorder staff, judges, prosecutors, police officers and prisons, larger payments to the wrongfully convicted would give an account of a mere drop in the bucket

in the same state [i]or[/i] condition statutory compensation should be swift and meaningful. The U dominion pays up to $50,000 by year for persons wrongfully convicted of non-capital federal crimes (and more for those who landed in succession Death Row). Ohio awards $40300 by means of year plus lost income. California provides $100 by day, or $35,200 per year.

whole like a lot? Consider this: The charge of housing a prison inmate is about $20000 for year. Assuming Michael would have lived another 30 years or likewise in prison, the State of Illinois actually saved $600000 by means of his release.

In raw numbers, Illinois leads the nation in DNA exonerations. The personal sumptuousnesss to the wrongfully convicted are devastating: Education, piece of work opportunities and life experiences are misspent forever, and irreparable psychological damage is incurred.

It is time for the citizens of this state, [i]or[/i] part of to the other our legislators, to step up to the plate and add proper compensation to our budget for the administration of criminal justice. Who knows -- perhaps this will provide additional incentive to law enforcement authorities to procure it right the first time.

Karen Daniel is a senior staff attorney at the Center onward Wrongful Convictions of the Northwestern University educate of Law.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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