Lamonte McIntyre lost 23 years of his lie behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit and will no receive no compensation for his wrongful imprisonment. (Image courtesy of CBS News)
A Kansas man exonerated for a double murder he didn’t commit will receive no compensation from the state after spending 23 years of his life behind bars.
Lamonte McIntyre was cleared of the crime in October, walking out of a Kansas jail with a clean slate — but not a dollar in his pocket, CBS News reported. McIntyre can expect to receive nothing, however, as Kansas is one of 18 states that offer wrongfully convicted persons no compensation upon their release. Other states include Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arizona, Pennslyvania, among others.
“I think it’s unjust, but me being angry about it is not going to change it,” McIntyre told the network.
Tricia Bushnell of the Midwest Innocence Project, who worked on getting McIntyre released, described his case as the “perfect storm.” At the time of his 1994 trial, for instance, there was no physical evidence or motive presented. McIntyre’s current lawyers also claim that lead detective Roger Golubski built a case against the then-17-year-old by threatening witnesses.
Bushnell said there are nearly a dozen people serving time whose cases are linked to Golubski. The police detective has since retired but state’s attorney Mark Dupree 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 told CBS News, adding that McIntyre got a “raw deal.” “The only thing we can do is push forward.”
MyInytre is hoping to do the same, saying he wishes to spend the rest of his days being happy, not bitter.
