A man exonerated of rape after 35 years in prison has been awarded $1.7 million in the first batch of cases covered by a new Michigan law that offers compensation to people who have been wrongly convicted.
Edward Carter sat quietly in the rear of the courtroom Wednesday and later declined to comment. He was released from prison in 2010 after fingerprints still on file from the sexual assault at Wayne State University pointed to another suspect.
His attorney, Sima Patel, says Carter "chooses to live life without bitterness."
State law allows $50,000 a year for every year in prison. Someone must have a conviction overturned based on "new evidence."
Another man, Marwin McHenry, was awarded $175,000. But two cases were dismissed by Court of Claims Judge Michael Talbot.
