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Lawrence McKinney of Memphis, Tennessee in 1978 was 22 years old. He was one of two men convicted of rape and burglary and sentenced to 115 years in jail.
31 years later; thanks to new technology, DNA evidence has cleared him of all charges and when he was released the Tennessee Department of Corrections gave him a check for $75.00. This money was supposed to help him get his life started and back on the right track.
But McKinney wants more than $75.00, he wants $1 Million Dollars to restart his life. He is also asking Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to exonerate him fully. The Tennessee Board of Parole, which makes recommendations to the governor, denied McKinney’s request by a 7-0 vote at a hearing in September. A formal exoneration would almost guarantee the $1 million compensation from the State of Tennessee.
