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How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth?

By Jeralyn, Section Innocence Cases
Posted on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 08:57:02 PM EST
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Wilton Dedge spent 22 years, or 8,000 days in prison in Florida for a rape he didn't commit. The state legislature now wants him and others in his position to accept $200,000 for the lost years of his life.

Dedge wants lawmakers to give him $5 million for the nearly 8,000 days he spent in prison, for his lost wages, the money his family spent to defend and visit him and the work done by the lawyers who fought for his exoneration.

The House proposal would simply allow Dedge and others like him to ask the Legislature for the $200,000 or benefits package. It would not prohibit people from seeking a larger amount from the Legislature if they have won a lawsuit. Dedge hasn't filed a lawsuit.

This bill is an insult. The wrongfully convicted should not be forced to parry between the courts and legislature for redress. As the Lakeland Ledger says, "It's time to right the wrong."

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    How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? | 24 comments (24 topical)
    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 09:22:05 PM EST
    that only comes out to 10,000 a year, what an insane system of non justice.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 09:27:21 PM EST
    How bout an amount equal to 8 years' worth of a lawmakers' salary?

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 09:40:00 PM EST
    The problem is, he is the victim of a crime and we don't compensate crime victims in this country.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 10:24:32 PM EST
    Make it a tort, not a crime, then he can collect. Make it a malpractice suit.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 30, 2005 at 10:41:52 PM EST
    He should take it and be thankful he wasn't on a feeding tube in that state.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 01:43:57 AM EST
    Im hoping the DR's will look at this woman, And feel something, hell, antything! I think I have it rough sometimes -but NEVER close to w happening

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 04:12:17 AM EST
    Of course, don't forget they *will* try to bill him for his food and housing while he was in jail for all those years. They've done it before so why not muck up an injustice with a couple more kicks at him on his way out. :(

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 05:10:40 AM EST
    That amount is ludicrous. My husband spent 8 years in prison for a murder/rape/arson he didn't commit, 2 years in the County Jail waiting because he didn't have the means at the time to post bond, based on a lot of things, and a wonderful State Public Defender (who is the head of the department), my husband was released and granted a new trial. He had to spend 18 months on house arrest after being released and while we were standing in the Courthouse waiting for the trial to start, found out he had been exhonerated and there would be no trial. He actually saved a little girl who was in the burning house and is a hero. His was a circumstantial case with Fred Zain, who I am sure all of you have heard of and if not, go online and check him out (he's deceased now). The people who did this to him never did any time, and never admitted they were wrong. The original trial judge, though, was great after my husband was released. I wasn't marrired to him at the time he was imprisoned but met him after he got out. Before he would even think about us having a relationship he had me read every piece of paper he had (which was a lot)to give me a chance to make my own decision. It was obvious that he was, is, and always will be innocent.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 05:15:37 AM EST
    The United States Government should pass a law that anyone who has been wrongfully incarcerated for years (and they should make it retroactive to 1900) should receive at least one million dollars, tax free on the state and federal level and any interest drawn on the money tax free both state and federal level (federal meaning the IRS). Anyone should be able to receive this money whether or not they have filed a lawsuit against their State or the State they were convicted in.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 05:21:33 AM EST
    Even when these people are exhonerated or after a new trial found not guilty, there are people who still say they are. Instead of not guilty, it should be a finding of innocent. If released and there is no new trial, the United States Government should pass a law that the State where convicted has to run a full page ad in every newspaper in the Country apologizing to these people. Also, if this wrongful conviction is not removed from the person's "rap sheet", no matter what any agreements, or papers signed say about suing again over the same thing, they should be able to sue.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Sailor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 06:39:10 AM EST
    They should also go back and look at crimes committed by DA's and cops that contributed to the illegal incarceration and put them in jail for the same amount of time.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#12)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 07:12:11 AM EST
    200 grand? I think the state left off a few zeros.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 07:16:11 AM EST
    Gerry..I'm surprised...a feeding tube comment? Don't turn into a wingnut on me. 200k is a disgrace. The state gov't probably spends that much on two or three parties at the governors mansion.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#14)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 07:56:19 AM EST
    8000 days of my time? I calculated it, and it came out to 14 million. And I am just an ordinary schmuck so I think that is a fair amount. Gerry, I missed the part in this article where he was in a PVS. Perhaps you can post that part of the article for us.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 08:49:04 AM EST
    I'd be embarassed to offer so little. "Sorry for stealing the best years of your life, how's less than min. wage for 22 years sound." The Legis. has some collective set of balls.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 09:03:30 AM EST
    Hey this person needs a real lawyer, she needs 22,000,000 tax free.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 12:16:37 PM EST
    kdog- Your right, I was being facetious. I would agree that the $200k is a bit paltry- My personal opinion is take the average income of the state or county (whichever is highest) or the last yearly income of the person (again, if this is higher) and pay off of that.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 12:25:37 PM EST
    "Sorry for stealing the best years of your life, how's less than min. wage for 22 years sound." The Legis. has some collective set of balls. HAH! I like that. I would love to see someone defend this. I can't. I'm not for treating wrongful convictions loke its hitting the lotto (sorry DJ), but this settlement is ridiculous. Just a thought- how would these wrongful conviction awards play into Mafia types that take the fall for someone else? These should stay on a case by case, but the formula used should be equitable.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 12:28:04 PM EST
    Long ago, the courts determined a formula for the monatary value of a particular human life, for wrongful death cases. Why not just use a pro-rated version of that?

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#20)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 12:58:42 PM EST
    To be forthcoming fellas, they could offer a billion and I'd still say the poor slob is getting robbed. You really can't put a price on wrongly being denied freedom, wrongly being placed in chains. But 200k is overly insulting.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 01:10:41 PM EST
    Jlvngstn- "I missed the part in this article where he was in a PVS." All it takes a court to determine that, no recourse.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#22)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 01:48:38 PM EST
    Gerry, still waiting to see where the court determined though. Perhaps it is in another part of the story. I will google alert it and let you know if I find it.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 04:22:11 PM EST
    Posted by Jlvngstn at March 31, 2005 08:56 AM 8000 days of my time? I calculated it, and it came out to 14 million. Jlvngstn I have it on authority that you are worth less than 10% of that.

    Re: How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? (none / 0) (#24)
    by Jlvngstn on Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 07:41:02 PM EST
    alright neocon, i'll take in 20's.

    How Much is 8,000 days of Your Life Worth? | 24 comments (24 topical)