Richard Jones spent 17 years in a Kansas prison for a robbery committed by his doppelganger. When he was exonerated and released last June, he had little to his name other than what had been donated by members of the public who had heard his story.
With a new law signed by Gov. Jeff Colyer Tuesday, Jones plans to apply for restitution from the state.
Exonerees will be eligible for $65,000 for each year spent in prison on a false conviction, and another $25,000 for each year serving parole or listed on the registry for sex offenders. Those released before July 1 will have two years to claim the compensation.
