Georgia Legislators Pass Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law on Last Day of Legislative Session

Yesterday, on the last day of the legislative session, Georgia legislators passed Senate Bill 244, providing compensation for exonerees. This is a huge victory for wrongfully convicted individuals in Georgia, including Joey Watkins, whose case we covered on Undisclosed and who was at the center of the fight for compensation. So, what does the bill provide?

First under the new law, someone seeking compensation must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that they were wrongfully conviction. Here’s the pertinent portion of the law:

Second, under the new law, wrongfully convicted individuals who can prove their innocence by a preponderance of the evidence can receive: (1) $75,000 for each year of incarceration; (2) an additional $25,000 per year for each year on death row; and (3) reasonable attorney’s fees, fines, etc. incurred as a result of the wrongful conviction.

-CM