Minnesota Wrongful Conviction Statute Declared Unconstitutional

A wrongfully-convicted Minnesota woman is able to seek compensation for the time she spent behind bars – nearly three years – thanks to Attorney Joseph A. Gangi of Farrish Johnson Law Office.  A new Minnesota law provides compensation to Minnesotans who were wrongly convicted of a crime and had to serve time in prison because of that.

Danna Back petitioned for compensation under this new law.  She was exonerated when the Minnesota Supreme Court reversed her conviction on the basis that she did not commit a crime.  But a judge denied Back the opportunity to seek compensation because the new law required a prosecutor to dismiss the charges.  Gangi appealed the judge’s decision, arguing that this requirement is unconstitutional.

In a ruling on July 18, 2016, the Minnesota Court of Appeals agreed, declaring the statute unconstitutional and giving Back an opportunity to seek compensation for the time she spent in prison for a crime she did not commit.

For more information about this topic contact Joseph A. Gangi at Farrish Johnson Law Office.

This webpage contains general information and not legal advice. It is based on Minnesota law in effect at the time of writing. An attorney at Farrish Johnson can advise you about how the law applies to your specific situation.