Idaho Man Given $1M After Wrongfully on Death Row for 18 Years

Being wrongfully accused of something is awful. Being wrongfully convicted of a crime, though, horrific. Take that a step even further and being wrongfully convicted of murder and put on death row, unimaginable. Unfortunately it does happen, and in the early 1980s, it happened right here in the gem state to a man named Charles Fain.

According to CBS2, Charles, who is now 72 years old was on death row for 18 years after being charged with sexual assault and murder of a child in 1981. Technology, crime labs and DNA testing got more advanced year after year. Then finally, strong DNA evidence was able to prove that he was innocent and after nearly two decades behind bars his lawyers were able to set him free in 2001.

At that time, Idaho did not have laws or rules in place to officially declare him innocent, nor any kind of compensation law. Charles was able to successfully do the hard transition from prison back to being a citizen and working man. After 18 years wrongfully behind bars and another 20 years without being declared officially innocent and with no compensation for his time stuck in prison things finally turned around for Charles when the state put new laws into action.

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The Idaho Innocence Project has been working to make this a reality not just for Charles, but anyone who was wrongfully put behind bars. Idaho was the 36th state to put a law into place that is set to compensate those wrongfully convicted. For Charles that is $62,000 per year he was behind bars but should have been free. 18 years times $62,000 comes to $1,116,000.

Charles plans to retire, buy a truck and explore more of Idaho. Our thoughts and prayers still go out to the victim and victims family for the horrific things done in 1981.