Gutman on Exoneree Compensation

Jeffrey S. Gutman (George Washington University - Law School) has posted Compensation Under the Microscope: Michigan on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

 

The number of exonerees denied compensation in Michigan – 25 – is the third highest in the country, behind New York and California. As of this writing, there are 107 Michigan exonerees listed in the National Registry of Exonerations who have filed for state compensation. By comparison, of the 88 exonerees who filed in Ohio, only six have been denied. The purpose of this article is to analyze why the number of denials in Michigan is as high as it is. Part of the answer lies in a particularity of the Michigan compensation statute. The Michigan legislature is, however, considering significant amendments to the statute. This article considers the extent to which those amendments might change the outcomes in some of these 25 cases.