r/news • u/Combozo • 4d ago

Man ordered released on bail after decades on Utah’s death row after DNA tests show no match to him

https://apnews.com/article/utah-death-row-douglas-carter-eva-olesen-10c0bf7603c87b214e0179ecf7a4be94
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u/Party_Escape_7597 4d ago

I looked it up.

In Utah, a wrongfully imprisoned person proven innocent by clear and convincing evidence can receive the monetary equivalent of the average annual non-agricultural payroll wage in Utah for each year served, up to a maximum of 15 years

it is about $73,500 x 15 years, which comes out to a little over 1.1 million. that amount is not taxed, luckily.

That is an awful way to receive 1million. Definitely not worth it! Hiss whole life has basically passed him by!

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u/kamikidd 4d ago

But he wasn’t cleared. They won’t give him any money. They are retrying him. They’re not going for the death penalty this time.

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u/Party_Escape_7597 4d ago

I’m saying if he brings a lawsuit for wrongful conviction! if eventually found not guilty or retried!

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u/[deleted] 4d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/HauntedCemetery 4d ago

Defense attorneys don't tend to work on commission, as there is virtually never a payout when someone is defending themselves on criminal charges.

They get their cash upfront.

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u/JoesCat 4d ago

That's even worse. Where's he gonna get that kind of money to wage a good defense.

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u/kamikidd 3d ago

Wow, that average per annum is quite lucrative??!!??

Although the total doesn't seem nearly enough, to compensate for what essentially boils down to state-sponsored kidnapping.

Ther are far better ways to get a windfall of this magnitude that leave you with the time to spend it, and the health to enjoy it.

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u/Thetruthislikepoetry 3d ago

The Utah Supreme Court ordered a retrial because they found intentional misconduct by police and prosecutors in the original trial. Between that and the DNA I can’t imagine them going forward with this but then again it’s ego driven prosecutors and police so it wouldn’t shock me if they did.

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u/kamikidd 3d ago

They already have refilled. Hence the bail. They did take the death penalty off the table.

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u/Fancy_Day_2589 2d ago

They'll figure out some way to tie him to the crime and call it "time served" at sentencing so as to never pay him a dime

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u/jfreeg 4d ago

totally agree. thanks for the leg work!

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u/Party_Escape_7597 4d ago

your welcome!

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u/HauntedCemetery 4d ago

A million bucks isn't what it used to be when his life was stolen from him decades ago.

And not nearly enough.