A New York man, Michael Mercer, who has spent the past 11 years in prison for rape has been freed through DNA testing proving his innocence.

Cause of conviction: the teenage victim's "insistent identification" of the inmate as the rapist. The real perpertrator: a repeat felon serving two life prison terms. The Manhattan DA's office made the request to free Mercer.

Understatement of the year: In freeing Mercer, the Judge said, ''Obviously a terrible mistake was made.'' Obviously, there are no words to adequately address the needless waste of 11 years of their life. Money would help. New York does have a law allowing wrongfully convicted persons to obtain compensation. All states should have one. The federal government should withhold federal funds from states that refuse to enact such a law.

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