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The state of Tennesee has awarded an innocent man $1 million dollars after he spent 31 years in prison for a crime that he did not commit. Lawrence McKinney, 61 yrs old, was locked up for rape and robbery back in 1978. He was freed in 2009 once DNA evidence cleared him of any wrongdoing. His attorney, David Raybin, calls the situation a bittersweet victory. Raybin said, “To have someone in prison that long and to fight for years, for six years to get him some justice, it has just been an enormous undertaking.”

According to the HuffPost.com, “The payment is divided into one $353,000 upfront payment, which is to cover attorneys fees, debts and the cost of a vehicle, followed by $3,350 monthly payments for a minimum of 10 years. If he should die before those 10 years, either his wife or his estate will be eligible to collect the following monthly payments.” The $1 million compensation is the highest permitted by the state, as well as the highest it has ever granted due to the length of time McKinney served.

Is this fair for the amount of time that he served? Your Thoughts?