Q: Would you spend 23 years in jail for 6.4 Million US Dollars?

[Zim Hosein]

A man who was framed by a rogue detective and served 23 years in prison for a murder he did not commit will receive $6.4 million from the City of New York in a settlement that came before a civil rights lawsuit was even filed, lawyers involved in the case said on Thursday.
A $150 million claim filed last year by the man, David Ranta, was settled by the city comptroller’s office without ever involving the city’s legal department — which the lawyers involved in the negotiations described as a “groundbreaking” decision that acknowledged the overwhelming evidence the city faced.
The comptroller’s quick acceptance of liability in the high-profile conviction is also significant because the case is the first of what is expected to be a series of wrongful conviction claims by men who were sent to prison based on the flawed investigative work of the detective, Louis Scarcella, who has been accused of inventing confessions, coercing witnesses and recycling informers.

Man Framed by Detective Will Get $6.4 Million From City After Serving 23 Years for Murder.

Granted, ~270,000 USD per/year is more than I will ever make annually, but there's no way in h*ll I would have settled for 6.4 million!

 

[OutHouse]

No.

 

[jhu]

$270k/year? You should know the answer: no, because as people who post regularly on ATOT, we make way more than that.

 

[Zim Hosein]

$270k/year? You should know the answer: no, because as people who post regularly on ATOT, we make way more than that.

What was I thinking jhu! :$

 

[DAGTA]

No. Can you really put a price on 23 years of your life? I don't think there is any amount of money that would change my mind.

 

[nickbits]

Depends on the living conditions. If I had internet& tv and wouldn't be assaulted in any way, it sounds pretty good.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Nope. That's 23 years of my life completely ruined and taken away, and it will probably take that long to catch up and become normal due to the post traumatic stress and other issues. Probably feel the same way as soldiers that return from war and seen serious shit. Some are just not the same and have lot of trouble coping even if it's over. I rather be poor than go to jail for any amount of money.

 

[SlitheryDee]

No. I wouldn't want to lose 23 years of my life for any amount of money.

 

[mnewsham]

Not a fucking chance.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Depends on the living conditions. If I had internet& tv and wouldn't be assaulted in any way, it sounds pretty good.

I can't speak on the assault issue, but I'm pretty sure inmates don't have internet and TV in their cells... at least I hope my tax dollars aren't paying for that nickbits!

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

He was innocent going in but, after 23 years in prison, I guarantee he's a criminal.

 

[IronWing]

Louis Scarcella? That's like a movie name.

 

[Imp]

No, thank you. I could just escort and probably make as much.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

if it was 6.5 million it would have been a yes

 

[olds]

If I started when I was one, maybe.

 

[Captante]

Wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Gunslinger08]

I think that looking ahead and looking back at this situation is very different.

Looking ahead at giving up 23 years for $6.4mill? I seriously doubt anyone would take that. Giving up 40-50% of your productive years isn't worth any amount of money. You're probably going to miss a lot of big moments in the normal person's life (your own marriage, kids, weddings, funerals, etc.).

Looking back, from this guy's perspective, those 23 years are a sunk cost. He can spend several more years in courtrooms (which he probably doesn't have a high regard for) to win a verdict and have it reduced several times until finally getting a partial payout, or he can take enough money (immediately) that will pay for everything he needs to live the rest of his life. I'd probably go with the settlement as well.

 

[JJChicken]

No, thank you. I could just escort and probably make as much.

Don't fool yourself.

 

[mikeford]

This is you before jail ....o
This is you after jail ... O

 

[Colt45]

Not that many years, but maybe 2 or 3 @ 270k/yr, at least in a Scandinavian prison.

 

[5150Joker]

This is you before jail ....o
This is you after jail ... O

lol!

 

[OverVolt]

Nope! Spending time with friends and family is far more important.

 

[arkcom]

To be fair, it would be more like $12 million after inflation.

 

[silverpig]

If it was a FPMITAP, hell no.

If it was one of those minimum security, check yourself in and out country clubs the rich white collar criminals go to... still no, but if I had lived a rough life, then sure.

 

[Tiamat]

No. 6.3m$ is a slap in the face for such atrocity in justice. The man's life was wasted and ruined nearly completely. The amount is within the ballpark of working salary (2-4x a std mid/to upper-middle class) so it covers only his loss of employment with 23 years of interest and a little icing on top.

But there should be even more for 23 years of mental distress, loss in social development, loss in experiencing the world and family during his strongest and healthiest years, loss of this personal freedoms, liberty, rights, etc.