Skip navigation

Articles about Wrongful Convictions

California Man Awarded $55,000 for False Arrest

On October 25, 2002, a California jury awarded $55,000 to a man who was
falsely arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and held in
jail for approximately 4 1/2 days before being released.

Plaintiff Roger Brass was arrested on the morning of April 6, 1997, by Los
Angeles ...

$2,000 For 35 Days Unlawful Confinement by Washington DOC

Susan Garner was scheduled to be released on June 19, 1998 from the custody of the Washington Department of Corrections. However, her Community Corrections Officer failed to notify law enforcement as required by statute and she was detained an additional 35 days.

Following her release, Ms. Garner filed a tort ...

$5,000 Paid in Wrongful WA Probation Warrant and Arrest

Rosalie Hanstad was pulled over by a Washington State trooper for speeding
and was subsequently arrested on a probation warrant. She filed suit under
42 U.S.C. § 1983 in state court and a tort complaint for intentional and
emotional distress and false and illegal arrest for community corrections
officer Dennis Wheeler's "failure to have the warrant quashed dated back
more than a year, during which time he knowingly allowed the warrant to
remain active, despite knowing there was no lawful basis for the warrant,"
and having a duty to quash the warrant. As a result of the arrest, Hanstad
spent five days in jail. On September 10, 2002, Hanstad agreed to settle
the claim for $5,000. She was represented by L. Michael Golden of the law
firm of Monte Hester in Tacoma. See: Hanstad v. State of Washington, Pierce
County Superior Court, Case No. 02-2-06569-0.

$27,000 For Washington Prisoner's 2 1/2 Years Of Unlawful Imprisonment

Raymond Stokes' early release date was calculated as July 28, 1998.
However, due to his status as a disabled person, DOC officials at the
Clallam Bay Corrections Center, in Clallam Bay, Washington, refused to
credit Mr. Stokes with the good time he was entitled to and he was forced
to ...

$35,000 For 14 Months Of Unlawful Imprisonment

In February 1993, Jaramie Womack committed a burglary in Wyoming. In July
of that same year, Mr. Womack committed a robbery in Washington. He was
sentenced to 3 to 6 years for the Wyoming offense and was extradited to
Washington, where he received a 42 month sentence for the robbery ...

$2,000 For Erroneous Washington Parole Drug Test Result

On May 1, 1995, John Lizee was arrested for a community supervision
violation by his community corrections officer and confined at the Airway
Heights Corrections Center, in Spokane, Washington, until May 4, 1995. Mr.
Lizee's arrest and confinement was based on a faulty interpretation of a
urinalysis drug test, which ...

$50,000 For 8 Months Of Unlawful Imprisonment by Washington DOC

On August 5, 1981, Joel Perry was sentenced to concurrent terms of 5 and
10 years in prison for various felonies. These terms of confinement were
suspended, and Mr. Perry was placed on probation. Mr. Perry's suspended
sentence was revoked and he was sent to the Department of Corrections
("DOC") ...

$1,500 For Illegally Extending Term of Community Supervision

On May 8, 1992, Raymond Mullins was sentenced to one year of community
placement for a felony conviction and to one year of probation for a
misdemeanor conviction. These sentences were imposed concurrently.
On July 30, 1992, Mr. Mullins' probation was revoked and he was ordered to
serve the balance ...

$7,000 For 20 Days Of Unlawful Imprisonment

Robert Bergen was serving a ten-year prison sentence for assault and
indecent liberties. His good time release date was scheduled as February
18, 1981. Five months prior to this date, Mr. Bergen received a prison
disciplinary infraction. He was found not guilty of the charge, but this
disposition was not ...

Psychological Coercion Not Legal Component Of Involuntary Servitude

The U.S. Supreme Court held that the use of psychological pressure did not
violate U.S. statutes prohibiting involuntary servitude. After two mentally
retarded individuals were found laboring on a farm for up to 17 hours a day
with no pay due to threats and actual physical abuse and psychological
coercion, Respondents, owners of the farm, were charged with violations of
18 U.S.C. § 241, "conspiring to prevent the men from exercising their
Thirteenth Amendment right to be free from involuntary servitude" and 18
U.S.C. § 1584 "by knowingly holding the men in involuntary servitude. At
trial in federal district court, the jury was instructed that under both
statutes "involuntary servitude may include situations involving any 'means
of compulsion..., sufficient in kind and degree, to subject a person having
the same general station in life as the alleged victims to believe they had
no reasonable means of escape and no choice except to remain in the service
of the employer.'" Respondents were found guilty and sentences imposed. The
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States v. Kominski, 821
F.2d 1186 (1987), reversed and remanded. The U.S. Supreme Court held: 1)
The necessary definition of involuntary servitude encompasses those ...