Would you accept 4.9 million $ for being wrongly imprisoned for 19 years

[Gizmo]

Alan Hall receives New Zealand's biggest-ever compensation payout of $4.9 million for wrongful conviction

Here's what we know.

www.newshub.co.nz

So in New Zealand it was announced today this man would get 4.9 million for being wrongly imprisoned for 19 years.

Alan Hall receives New Zealand's biggest-ever compensation payout of $4.9 million for wrongful conviction

While the money may be nice it definitely won't bring back the years he wrongly lost. Would you accept this payout if this happened to you?

 

[Cam]

If the damage is already done, I guess I’m taking the 4.5 million, but I wouldn’t voluntarily trade a fourth of my life for that sum of money, no.

 

[MrDawn]

Yeah....sure, I'd take the 4.5 Million dollars for the jail time. But with cost of living along with inflation, that money would only last 20 years if you're unemployed.

 

[zappaDPJ]

I think the only answer is you don't really have a choice. Payouts of this nature are usually predefined.

As an example, a man in the UK has just been released after spending 17 years in prison after an appeal court overturned his conviction. The maximum award he can expect for being wrongly imprisoned is £58,824 per year.

Andrew Malkinson: £1m compensation ‘not enough’ after miscarriage of justice

Mr Malkinson told the Daily Mail that £1 million would be inadequate compensation for his 17 years of wrongful imprisonment.

www.independent.co.uk

It's worth noting that he may still have to pay 'board and lodging' for the time he spent in prison which would be taken out of his compensation.

 

[Jason76]

19 years goes in a flash, but time goes by slow in jail. If he went in at 18, he's be 37, so he still have a quite a few years left in his life, and why not be a millionare?

 

[Uncrowned Guard]

Would I take it? Absolutely.

However, I would still feel screwed as the government is going to want its taxes on that, it is also going to add up your assets for higher taxes, and now you are going to struggle to find jobs and social connections.

You are basically starting over in the professional world, and probably have little ability to comprehend the tech world flooding into your old career. Remember this guy's last job existed before the iPhone was even rumored and he may have still be using internet that arrived on a disc in the mail. Ya, prisons have some tech, and many are allowed basic tech items, but that is not adding up to much in the professional world.

Granted, I would still say that nearly $5mil is enough to get a good start in life. But, it is hard to put a money amount to the loss of life events and such.

 

[Naza]

I certainly will or is there any other option if I don't?

19 years of my life have already wasted and there is absolutely no need crying over a spilt milk. So I'm going to take the money and make something out of it.

 

[Shortie_]

If I had already spent 19 years of my life in prison already I would never be able to get those years back so taking the $4.9 million would be something I would be happy to do so I could enjoy my life after being stuck in prison for as long as I had been.

19 years is a long time and you can miss a lot through that time.

 

[Page]

Och, in prison for that amount of time and after 19 years they release the real truth about it all when it's too late and only take 19 years of someone's life. I mean he might accept it or not, I say he would take it but might not even care about the money he might care about his family that he has not seen in 19 years more then anything, Does he have kids? no idea

 

[MrDawn]

Yeah....sure, I'd take the 4.5 Million dollars for the jail time. But with cost of living along with inflation, that money would only last 20 years if you're unemployed.

On second thought, never mind. I don't think it's worth the stress of being beat up and raped in the shower by your bunk mates.

 

[Jason76]

In the Wall Street movie sequel, Gordon Gecko, imprisoned for around 12 years, claims time is the most important asset, a big change from the first movie, and I agree.

 

[Kirubel]

If I have already spent time in prison, then that would be game-changing, but I will not take any money in order to get into jail because 19 years is a lot, and during my jail time there will be many hard things, and I can't imagine if I can't make it out.

 

[King Belieal]

We are not talking about five years here but a whooping 19 years. I don't think there is anything in this world that can soothe that trauma. I would accept the money but that trauma would always be there.