After spending 24 years behind bars and then just this week being exonerated of the crimes against him Daryl Holloway of Milwaukee could receive as much as 25-thousand dollars for his time locked up. NBC26 spoke with Holloway and Governor Walker this week about whether the potential compensation is enough.
The state of Wisconsin caps out compensation for the wrongfully convicted and then incarcerated at 25-thousand dollars. Just 48 hours after being let out of prison Daryl Holloway is still wrapping his head around the fact that he might get just over one thousand dollars for every year that he was locked up.
Spending half of his life in prison Daryl Holloway is still getting used to be with friends and family on a daily basis on the outside.
"Mostly what I want to do is enjoy myself. I missed a lot," says Holloway.
Holloway is still getting used to life as a free man. But the talk on his Milwaukee block is commonly about the potential compensation from the state for incarcerating him for a quarter of a century even though he was innocent.
"They all saying you should get more money. Everybody is saying that. They say man this is bull," adds Holloway.
Daryl says money can't give him back the time taken but he does feel insulted by the potential dollar amount.
"Let’s see one of the Governor’s daughters or sons go to prison for 15-years and then tell me that…. and find out they innocent? And then tell me they supposed to get that?"
Today the Governor responded to Daryl’s concerns when we approached him. NBC26 asked if he would he feel differently about the dollar amount Holloway might get, if it was a member of his family?
"I feel horrible about that. That’s why I said to me…. The reality of it is we’d like not only for him but for others to adjust the compensation going forward. But more importantly we want to make sure that prosecutors around the state are using the best scientific evidence possible to stop that from ever occurring,” says Governor Walker.
NBC26 told Governor Walker that Holloway felt let down by the state once again when he heard what he may be entitled to.
"They were even less years ago. They've been increased. But I think it's worth looking at going forward. But that's not something I have discretion over right now. We'd actually have to change the statutes to do that."
Holloway said on Thursday that he is considering a civil suit to be better compensated for his time in prison. His attorney stated shortly after being released that it could be a very difficult process though.
