SPOKANE — A Spokane County judge says three men whose convictions were thrown out after they spent four years in prison are not entitled to state compensation.
The men sought about $680,000 under a law to compensate prisoners who were wrongfully jailed. The three were convicted of assault, robbery and drive-by-shooting in 2008 drug-related activity. They maintained their innocence, and their convictions were overturned in 2012 after an informant recanted his testimony.
Although they were not re-tried, the Washington attorney general’s office argued the men were never found to be “actually innocent” of the crimes.
The Spokesman-Review reports Superior Court Judge John Cooney ruled last week the men were not entitled to compensation under the state’s wrongfully convicted persons law.
Their lawyers are considering an appeal.
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