A Wilson County man who spent 31 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit has gotten a shot at exoneration and compensation, seven years after he was released.
According to reports, the Tennessee Board of Parole will hear Lawrence McKinney's case on Tuesday and decide whether to recommend that the governor issue a formal exoneration order.
Governor Bill Haslam does not have to follow the board's recommendation and does not need its approval to act, but a spokeswoman for the governor has said it’s the administration's policy to wait for the board's recommendation before considering clemency.
If McKinney is exonerated he would be eligible for compensation of up to $1 million. Tennessee has paid compensation to wrongfully convicted men only twice before.
