Kansas man wrongfully imprisoned for 23 years receives no compensation from state
When Lamonte McIntyre was exonerated for a double murder in October, he walked out of a Kansas prison with a clean record – but not a dime to his name, reports CBS News' Dean Reynolds. After losing 23 years of his life behind bars, the state is offering him nothing.
Kansas is one of 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted prisoners no compensation at all upon their release.
"I think it's unjust, but me being angry about it is not going to change it," McIntyre said.
Tricia Bushnell of the Midwest Innocence Project worked to win McIntyre's release. She said McIntyre has other reasons to be angry. She called this case the "perfect storm."
For example, at his trial in 1994 when he was 17, there was no physical evidence or motive presented. Worse, according to McIntyre's current lawyers, lead police detective Roger Golubski built the case by threatening witnesses. Bushnell said the fallout may impact other potential exonerations.
She said there are about a dozen people behind bars whose cases are connected to detective Golubski.
Golubski has since retired, and said he did nothing wrong. But Mark Dupree, who became the state's attorney a year ago, has asked the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to review his conduct.
"If my office receives that information and there's probable cause to charge Mr. Golubski, it will happen," Dupree said.
He agrees that McIntyre got a raw deal. "He did. And the only thing we can do is push forward," he said.
Pushing forward is exactly what Lamonte McIntyre is doing. He is studying to be a barber.
"I want to spend the rest of my life being happy. I don't want to be bitter. That's taking away from me. I don't have any more time to give," he said.
Note: Tricia Bushnell is executive director of the Midwest Innocence Project, which is independently operated and not under the supervision of the Innocence Project, which is based in New York.