State lawmakers work to increase compensation for Oklahomans who are wrongfully convicted

State lawmakers are advancing a bill that would increase the compensation for anybody who has been wrongfully convicted in Oklahoma.

1. Under current state law, the compensation for wrongful conviction is capped at $175,00, regardless of how long the person was incarcerated.
2. There have been 46 wrongful conviction cases in Oklahoma, and more than half were overturned based on some form of prosecutorial misconduct. The innocent defendants in those cases served a collective prison sentence of 292 years.
3. House Bill 2235, written by House Minority Leader, Cyndi Munson, would allow wrongfully convicted Oklahomans to get $50,000 for every year they were incarcerated.

“Someone who is innocent should not be behind bars,” said Rep. Munson. “I think the more and more my colleagues and Oklahomans educate themselves on this issue they realize it is the right thing to do and we need to get it done as soon as possible.”  

1. Many wrongful conviction cases end in the individual filing lawsuits against law enforcement and cities, actions that cost taxpayer dollars.
2. Glynn Simmons, a high profile case in Oklahoma, served nearly 50 years in the Oklahoma prison system for a murder he did not commit. Simmons received the $175,000 from the state upon his release, and the city of Oklahoma City recently agreed to pay $7.5 million to Simmons.
3.  Rep. Munson is hoping the change in law would cut down on lawsuits similar to Simmons' case.
4. The legislation passed out of the State House with a vote of 75-13, and is now awaiting a hearing in the state senate.