Alaska Legislation Addresses Wrongful Convictions, Compensation

A Fairbanks, Alaska, lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at preventing wrongful convictions and compensating those who are sent to prison but later exonerated.

Democratic Rep. Scott Kawasaki says he wants the guilty to be imprisoned and for innocent people to be protected. He says in cases where people are wrongly imprisoned, they deserve some sort of compensation.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports one of the bills would require police departments to follow certain procedures in setting up lineups.

The other would provide up to $50,000 per year of imprisonment – up to $2 million – if a person is exonerated. Claims would be made through the attorney general.