GA HR129

Authorizes payment of $1,917,128.00 to Daryl Lee Clark for 25+ years of wrongful imprisonment following his 1998 conviction for murder and conspiracy, which was vacated on December 8, 2022

Clark was convicted at age 17 based on testimony from two witnesses later determined to be unreliable—one who recanted under oath and admitted her testimony was coerced by police, and another whose sign language interpretation was found to be inaccurate

A 2021 investigation revealed police misconduct including suppressed evidence, a sexual relationship between the lead investigator and the victim's family member, and false claims about witness identification

Payment structure includes an initial $632,652.00 lump sum, with the remainder placed in a commercial annuity paid in equal monthly installments over ten years beginning in 2026

Compensation is calculated at $75,000.00 per year of wrongful imprisonment and is excluded from Georgia state income tax; Georgia is noted as one of only 11 states without a statutory compensation regime for exonerees