“A Stain on the Criminal Justice System” - Serpa on GoLocal LIVE
Monday, March 18, 2019
Representative Patricia Serpa joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on GoLocal LIVE at the Rhode Island State House, where she spoke to her legislative proposal to enable innocent persons who have been wrongfully to be eligible for compensation and damages.
“Scott Hornoff was convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 — he served six and a half years in prison, there was no evidence against him,” said Serpa. “To make a long story short, the gentleman who did commit the murder finally stepped forward after six and a half years and Scott was basically let out of prison with a ‘good luck, see you later’ — no services, nothing available to him, his life…in shambles.”
“So I’ve been working with the Innocence Project to address this — Rhode Island is one of only 17 states without any compensation [for those wrongfully convicted],” said Serpa, who noted the proposed compensation level would be set at $50,000 a year — and that the Innocence Project at this time believes there are two wrongfully incarcerated individuals in the state — but said “there may be up to six.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“It’s a chance for us to make right, frankly, a stain on the criminal justice system,” said Serpa.
Related Slideshow: PHOTOS: General Assembly Opening Session - January 1, 2019
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