WELLINGTON — A New Zealand man who spent nearly 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit will receive a multimillion-dollar compensation package, the government said on Friday (Aug 18).
  • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtfEnglish
    27·
    2 years ago

    Yeah, $26/h is a good rate for work wages, but not for losing a major chunk of your life and the resulting trauma from it. Contrary to some “tough guy” portrayals in fiction, your psyche and relationship with society WILL be forever fractured from being caged for so long , no matter how you were before.

    I wouldn’t wish that on GUILTY prisoners, let alone someone who was wrongfully convicted like in this case.

    • Aurenkin@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      11·
      2 years ago

      Yeah it really is hard to quantify. Even just taking into account the financial aspect if he was working during that time he would have been developing skills and becoming worth more to employ as well. He’s effectively 18 years behind career and skills wise where he could have been.

      EDIT: shit, it’s even worse than that.

      “Alan was 24 when he was arrested. He is now 61.”

      It also said he had an intellectual disability. I don’t know how severe it is but being a convicted murderer for most of your life would Rob you of so many opportunities. Fucking hell.

      • CoderKat@lemm.ee
        English
        1·
        2 years ago

        I was confused at first because 61 - 24 isn’t 18, but then realized he did have a length of time out on parole before he was sent back for violating parole.