A 39 Year Mistake – Joseph Sledge is Free
Joseph Sledge has just come to the end and is now free of a wrongful murder conviction in 1976. Sledge had actually escaped from another prison the day before the double murder he was accused of committing. Convicted for the crime and serving a life sentence he maintained his innocence of the charge.
On Friday in Whiteville, North Carolina after a full THIRTY NINE years behind bars Sledge was found innocent by a three judge panel.
The first thing Joseph Sledge said he wants to do while leaving the courtroom is “sleep on a normal bed and go swimming.”
The three judge panel heard from a DNA specialist who determined that none of the evidence collected in the case, hair, DNA and fingerprints belonged to Sledge. Plus a key jailhouse informant recanted his story, saying authorities promised him leniency in his own case for his trial testimony against Sledge. District attorney Jon David who was not involved in the case said “The system made a mistake”. Yeah it did.
For his trouble, age 31yrs – 70yrs incarcerated Sledge gets $750k paid by the state. How much is life worth? For Joseph Sledge the state determined that $19,230 (give or take a hundred) per year would suffice.
Joseph Sledge is now free and with $750k (if put away correctly) he could probably live out the remainder of his life with some security and comfort. For now Sledge is headed to Savannah Georgia to live with one of his brothers.
How much do you think you would be worth to the state?
For more on this story visit Daily Mail
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