The question at the heart of Georgia’s latest legislative debate is simple yet profound: How much is a stolen year worth? For those who have spent decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit, the answer is more than just a dollar figure—it’s justice, recognition, and a shot at rebuilding their lives.
Georgia’s Patchwork Approach to Compensation
For years, Georgia has been one of just 11 states without a clear legal framework to compensate those wrongfully convicted. Instead, exonerees must navigate a labyrinthine system, finding a willing lawmaker to champion their cause and shepherding their case through a political process fraught with delays and uncertainty.
That could change this year. House Bill 533, championed by Rep. Katie Dempsey, a Rome Republican, seeks to establish a standardized formula for compensation. It proposes that administrative law judges—not politicians—decide claims, awarding exonerees $75,000 for each year they were wrongly incarcerated, with an additional $25,000 per year for those who were on death row.
The Roadblocks That Stalled Previous Efforts
This isn’t the first time Georgia lawmakers have attempted to tackle this issue. Prior efforts have stalled in the Senate, victims of political wrangling and time constraints. Advocates say the state’s current system—where compensation is awarded on a case-by-case basis—has led to arbitrary results, with some exonerees receiving payments while others are left with nothing.
Hayden Davis, a board member of the Georgia Innocence Project who played a key role in drafting HB 533, argues that the current method is deeply flawed. “What we’ve seen in a lot of years is resolutions failing, not because of any weakness of the underlying claim, but because of political reasons,” Davis said. He noted that Georgia’s short 40-day legislative session often leaves little room for exonerees’ cases to be heard, let alone resolved.
A Closer Look at What’s Proposed
HB 533 aims to take the politics out of the process. Under the proposed law:
- Exonerees would no longer need to rely on lawmakers to file individual compensation bills.
- Administrative law judges would determine eligibility and award standardized payments.
- Compensation would be set at $75,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment.
- Those who spent time on death row would receive an additional $25,000 per year.
Supporters argue that this approach ensures fairness and consistency while reducing the burden on lawmakers.
Stories Behind the Numbers
While the debate over HB 533 has largely focused on the policy itself, the real impact lies in the lives of those affected. Mario Stinchcomb, who was exonerated for a 2002 murder conviction, is one of many exonerees supporting the bill. He recently spoke at a press conference, emphasizing how years behind bars can’t truly be repaid but must at least be acknowledged.
The issue isn’t just theoretical. Georgia has seen multiple wrongful conviction cases in recent years, each with harrowing tales of lost time and shattered lives. Without a standardized compensation law, exonerees are left to fend for themselves, with no guarantee of financial support.
Will 2025 Be the Year for Change?
With bipartisan backing from both Dempsey and Atlanta Democrat Rep. Scott Holcomb, supporters are cautiously optimistic that this year’s effort will succeed. The bill is currently making its way through the Legislature, with hopes for final approval before lawmakers adjourn on April 4.
The stakes are high. A failure to pass HB 533 would mean another year where those wrongfully convicted in Georgia remain without a clear path to compensation. For exonerees like Stinchcomb, who have already lost so much, time is of the essence.
