Innocence Blog

Kerry Porter, who was exonerated just before Christmas this year, 
was reportedly given only a winter jacket and a pair of sweats 
after 14 years of wrongful imprisonment by the State of Kentucky. 
Because Kentucky doesn't have a law compensating the wrongfully 
convicted, Porter would have to sue in order to receive any 
financial support. Only about half of the states have compensation 
laws and about 40% of the 283 people exonerated through DNA testing 
have never been compensated. The Courier Journal writes:
 

Given all that has happened, and the spot of his first night’s 
sleep in his mother’s home, Mr. Porter’s freedom must seem like a 
gift — an unexpected one at that — but that view ignores the theft 
of 14 years of his life. “New evidence” that persuaded prosecutors 
and other officials to dismiss Mr. Porter’s conviction (and to try 
to bring Mr. Camp’s real murderer to justice) and to release him 
“immediately and without delay” demonstrates those years were not 
for the taking.

Read the full article here.
See if your state has a compensation law with our interactive map.
Read about how the Kentucky Innocence Project helped free 
Porter in the 2011 Innocence Network report.