Wrongfully convicted man seeks exoneration, compensation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee man who spent 31 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit is getting a shot at exoneration and compensation, seven years after he was released.

The Tennessean reports the Tennessee Board of Parole will hear Lawrence McKinney’s case on Tuesday and decide whether to recommend that the governor issue a formal exoneration order. McKinney had been falsely accused of rape and burglary in 1977 in Memphis.

Gov. Bill Haslam does not have to follow the board’s recommendation and does not need its approval to act. But a spokeswoman for the governor has said it is the administration’s policy to wait for the board’s recommendation before considering clemency.

If McKinney is exonerated he would be eligible for compensation of up to $1 million. Tennessee has paid compensation to wrongfully convicted men only twice before.

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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com

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