California man cleared of double murder after 40 years in prison gets $21M

[joaquinmiller]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Then they can challenge for cause, and/or the judge can dismiss prospective jurors.

It's too facile to blame the putative dumbest guy in the room for an erroneous conviction.

 

[Blues Man]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Then they can challenge for cause, and/or the judge can dismiss prospective jurors.

It's too facile to blame the putative dumbest guy in the room for an erroneous conviction.

Not when all 12 are equally as dumb it's not.

We need to move to a professional jury pool where people have knowledge of not only applicable law but scientific evidence as well

 

[JOSweetHeart]

May the man still have some family on the outside considering the fact that he himself is now in his 70s and if that makes him too old to be out there working a job, maybe anything that he can still cross off his bucket list is what he can do as soon as he gets out of jail. That 21 million dollars is 21 million dollars that he didn't already have and so may he have the greatest time of his life with it!

God bless him always!!!

Holly

 

[rightwinger]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Both the police and prosecutor pursued an innocent man

They deserve no sympathy

 

[Blues Man]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Both the police and prosecutor pursued an innocent man

They deserve no sympathy

Where did I ever even mention the cops or the prosecutor?

The so called jury of peers failed to see the flaws in the prosecutions argument.

A learned, qualified jury, knowledgeable in both the law and forensic sciences would be better able to analyze evidence and arguments than any old Joe Schmoe off the street

 

[AvgGuyIA]

$500k a year, not even close to what he deserves.

What can you do? At least sometimes U.S wrongfully imprisoned get paid, it rarely happens in Canada. One reason of many Canada isn't a nation to be trusted. All talk on Human Rights, little action.

California man cleared after 40 years in prison gets $21M

A Southern California man who was wrongly imprisoned for close to four decades in the killing of his girlfriend and her 4-year-old son will receive $21 million in a settlement with the city of Simi Valley, officials said.

Craig Coley, 71, was released from jail in 2017 after he was pardoned by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, who said DNA evidence and re-investigation proved Coley's innocence in the 1978 murders of 24-year-old Rhonda Wicht and her son.

Forensic tests showed Coley's DNA was not on the victim's bedsheet, which contained DNA from an unknown man. Coley also had an alibi for the time of the slayings and investigators later disproved testimony from an eyewitness who placed him at the scene.

Brown pardoned Coley at the request of Simi Valley's police chief and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office and the state approved a separate settlement payment of nearly $2 million last year. A judge also declared Coley to be factually innocent.

The settlement with Simi Valley was first reported by the Los Angeles Times. City officials said the agreement would forestall long, costly and unnecessary legal proceedings.

"While no amount of money can make up for what happened to Mr. Coley, settling this case is the right thing to do for Mr. Coley and our community," City Manager Eric Levitt said in a statement. The city will pay about $4.9 million and the rest is expected to be paid by insurance and other sources.

Ron Kaye, an attorney representing Coley, said the settlement offers some closure and vindication for his client, though no amount of money can compensate him for the life he missed while imprisoned.

"He now can live the rest of his life, which we hope will be really well into the future, with the security he deserves," Kaye said.

Simi Valley police have not arrested anyone else in the killings.

There was no DNA testing 40 years ago. The system tried him and he was found guilty. Release him and say you're sorry but not as sorry as his sorry-assed lawyer. No money because the citizens of the town don't owe him anything.

 

[WillPower]

/----/ At 71 and 40 years of substandard healthcare and limited physical activity, what is this gut going to do with the money except party hardy? Forget explaining a smartphone, this guy never used anything but a payphone landline. Here's 21 million, BTW you got maybe 5 years left so don't spend it all in one place. And can he ever assimilate into society after 40 years behind a wall (remember Libs, you claim walls don't work.)

They have computers the inmates can use in prisons...he may be a lot more tech-savvy than you or me with the time he may have had for little else. Old cons usually end up working in trusty offices and come and go as they please. Car and clothing styles have changed but people haven't changed much in the last 40 years. He'll have somebody looking after his money. What he really needs is a HOT PIECE OF PUSSY....he should head to Nevada where prostitution is legal and get his fill if he still can.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Then they can challenge for cause, and/or the judge can dismiss prospective jurors.

It's too facile to blame the putative dumbest guy in the room for an erroneous conviction.

Not when all 12 are equally as dumb it's not.

We need to move to a professional jury pool where people have knowledge of not only applicable law but scientific evidence as well

You're asking for corruption. Professional juries can be bought.

 

[Blues Man]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Then they can challenge for cause, and/or the judge can dismiss prospective jurors.

It's too facile to blame the putative dumbest guy in the room for an erroneous conviction.

Not when all 12 are equally as dumb it's not.

We need to move to a professional jury pool where people have knowledge of not only applicable law but scientific evidence as well

You're asking for corruption. Professional juries can be bought.

Anyone can be bought.

Judges can be bought
Cops can be bought
Lawyers can be bought

Jurors can be bought now.

 

[rightwinger]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Both the police and prosecutor pursued an innocent man

They deserve no sympathy

Where did I ever even mention the cops or the prosecutor?

The so called jury of peers failed to see the flaws in the prosecutions argument.

A learned, qualified jury, knowledgeable in both the law and forensic sciences would be better able to analyze evidence and arguments than any old Joe Schmoe off the street

They should not prosecute a case with serious flaws in it just to see if they get lucky

 

[Blues Man]

When any Tom Dick or Harry with an IQ of 85 can sit on a jury, it's no wonder we get erroneous convictions

People don't self-select for the jury. You giving the prosecutor and the police a pass?

They have little choice in the matter as both the prosecution and the defense have a limited number of peremptory challenges

Both the police and prosecutor pursued an innocent man

They deserve no sympathy

Where did I ever even mention the cops or the prosecutor?

The so called jury of peers failed to see the flaws in the prosecutions argument.

A learned, qualified jury, knowledgeable in both the law and forensic sciences would be better able to analyze evidence and arguments than any old Joe Schmoe off the street

They should not prosecute a case with serious flaws in it just to see if they get lucky

And jurors should be smart enough to see the flaws but most aren't