Mike Haridopolos Representing Florida Senate District 26

Haridopolos seeks Innocence Commission funds

Mar 31, 2010

by John A. Torres

A week after the Florida Supreme Court rejected the idea of an “Innocence Commission” to study wrongful convictions and incarcerations because of lack of funding, state Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, will seek $200,000 from the Legislature today.

On Tuesday, Haridopolos said he would make an amendment to the state budget for the money. The panel would examine why people have been sent to state prison for crimes they didn’t commit, in addition to working to prevent more innocent people from going to jail.

“This is really a two-way street,” Haridopolos said. “It will protect accused people who are innocent of crimes, but also give people the confidence to know that the people in prison are guilty.”

Chief Justice Peggy Quince sent letters last week to both Haridopolos and Sandy D’Alemberte, former president of the American Bar Association and board member for the Innocence Project of Florida.

“The court is very much interested in looking at the cases of actual innocence and is considering the establishment or task force by administrative order,” Quince wrote. “As we explore the best avenue to make inquiries on this subject, we welcome any input you or your colleagues may have concerning funding sources.”

Haridopolos became involved in the issue as a result of his work on a compensation bill for William Dillon, a Satellite Beach man who spent 27 years in prison before DNA excluded him from key evidence.

Haridopolos said the court recommended about $350,000 to fund the new commission, but he said there likely would be Florida State University law school students who would donate time.

In 2005, Haridopolos successfully sponsored a compensation bill for Wilton Dedge, a Port St. John man who spent more than 20 years in prison for rape before DNA evidence proved his innocence.

Seth Miller, executive director of the Innocence Project of Florida—the nonprofit group instrumental in both Dillon and Dedge’s release—said the commission would prevent similar failures of justice.

“We are very grateful that Senator Haridopolos and the Florida Legislature is making this commitment to finding out why wrongful convictions happen in Florida and using that information to prevent future miscarriages of justice,” Miller said.

In 2011, Haridopolos takes over as president of the Florida Senate.

D’Alemberte applauded his efforts.

“Mike deserves great credit for the humanity he has shown in dealing with Wilton Dedge and Bill Dillon and for the vision he is demonstrating in his support for a broad inquiry into the ways the justice system goes wrong,” he said.

Reprinted from the Florida Today