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GA HR901
Resolution
Status
Passed
2/29/2024
Primary Sponsor
Katie Dempsey
Click for details
AI Summary
- Daryl Lee Clark, arrested at age 17, was wrongfully convicted on January 19, 1998, of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the 1996 death of Brian Bowling in Floyd County, Georgia, and sentenced to life imprisonment based on testimony from two witnesses later determined to be unreliable and improperly influenced by law enforcement
- A 2021 independent investigation revealed police misconduct, including suppression of exculpatory evidence, coercion of a key witness who recanted her testimony, inaccurate translation of a hearing-impaired witness's statements, and a sexual relationship between the lead investigator and a member of the victim's family
- Mr. Clark's convictions were overturned and all charges dismissed on December 8, 2022, by the Superior Court of Floyd County, resulting in his exoneration after more than 25 years of wrongful imprisonment
- The Department of Administrative Services is directed to pay Mr. Clark $1,840,715.00 in total compensation ($72,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment), with an initial payment of $607,435.00 and the remainder paid into a commercial annuity in equal monthly installments over ten years beginning in 2025
- Compensation received under the resolution is excluded from Mr. Clark's taxable net income for state income tax purposes, and the State of Georgia is entitled to a credit against this amount if Mr. Clark recovers damages through any related lawsuit against state officials
Legislative Description
Clark, Mr. Darrell Lee; compensate
Last Action
Senate Read and Referred
3/4/2024
Committee Referrals
Appropriations3/4/2024
Appropriations1/26/2024
Full Bill Text
No bill text available