The Board of Examiners on Tuesday awarded more than $1 million to a man wrongfully convicted of murder.
Frederick Steese served 18 years of a life without parole sentence before he was cleared of the murder.
He was convicted in 1995 and not released from prison until February 2013. The Pardons Board granted him a pardon based on “actual innocence” in May 2017 granting him an unconditional pardon.
He applied for compensation based on the new Nevada law allowing those wrongfully convicted to receive compensation for the time they spent in prison.
The board consisting of Gov. Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske was told there is a bill draft being prepared that would fund Steeve’s and other wrongful conviction settlements but that it hasn’t yet been introduced in the 2021 Legislature. Susan Brown, head of the Governor’s Finance Office, said that bill contains an appropriation of $12.8 million.
Pointing out that there are 10 or 11 such cases working their way through the system, Cegavske said, “I don’t know that the $12.8 million is going to be enough.”
Brown said if it isn’t, the administration can go to the Interim Finance Committee Contingency fund to replenish the account.
Under the law, Steese is entitled to $1.35 million for being wrongfully incarcerated for 18 years, $23,000 for attorney’s fees, $4,990 for financial literacy assistance and $3,750 for health insurance premiums.
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