Georgia Lawmakers Approve Bill to Compensate Wrongfully Convicted

Georgia lawmakers have approved Senate Bill 244, which combines provisions for compensating wrongfully convicted individuals with measures allowing defendants to recover attorneys' fees when a prosecutor is disqualified. The bill mandates $75,000 per year for those wrongfully imprisoned, and $100,000 for those on death row, if they can prove their innocence. The legislation gained traction after being linked to legal costs incurred by former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants, who were indicted in 2023 over attempts to overturn his election loss in Georgia. The bill passed amid political maneuvering, with some Democrats supporting it despite its implications for Trump's legal expenses. The move aims to address Georgia's status as one of the few states without a formal compensation law for the wrongfully convicted. Governor Brian Kemp's approval is pending, and the bill reflects ongoing challenges within the state's legal compensation framework.