A man who spent a large portion of his life on death row could be looking for a big payday for that time. For 17 years, Joseph Amrine waited on Missouri’s death row, convicted of a murder the State Supreme Court now says he did not commit. Last summer, Amrine was freed. His lawyer, Sean O’Brien, says he could file a lawsuit in the coming months to compensate Amrine for his time under a death penalty. It could be filed against the investigators in the case and against Amrine’s original defense attorneys. Investigators with the Cole County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment until anything is actually filed in court. O’Brien admits any lawsuit would be an uphill battle under Missouri law. In the meantime, he’s looking forward to reparations legislation currently under consideration at the State Capitol.
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