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Subcommittee advances five compensation resolutions for people later exonerated; three cases described in detail
Summary
The General Government Appropriations Subcommittee voted to advance five House resolutions that would compensate several men who were later exonerated; lawmakers described evidence failures including a witness erroneously believed dead and DNA testing that excluded a defendant.
The General Government Appropriations Subcommittee voted by voice to advance five House resolutions seeking compensation for people later exonerated, including detailed presentations for three cases: Mario Stinchcomb (House Resolution 119), Michael Wolfolk (House Resolution 118) and Cedric Moore (House Resolution 130).
Representative Evans introduced House Resolution 119 seeking compensation for Mario Stinchcomb, who, the sponsor said, was exonerated by the Fulton County conviction integrity unit after spending 18 years in prison. "He spent 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit," Representative Evans said, adding that a key witness believed to be dead later corroborated Stinchcomb's self-defense claim.
Representative Evans also introduced House Resolution 118 on behalf of Michael Wolfolk, described as a codefendant in the same matter; speakers said physical evidence supported the self-defense theory in both cases. Representative Crawford presented House Resolution 130 on behalf of Cedric Moore, describing a 1993 robbery-related prosecution that led to about 16 years' incarceration; modern DNA testing later showed Moore was not a match for evidence in the case, the sponsor said.
Committee members repeatedly praised staff and lawmakers for pursuing compensation in wrongful-conviction cases and said they would prefer a more algorithmic, statute-based approach to compensation rather than case-by-case legislative resolutions. Representative Mitchell moved to pass at least three of the resolutions and the committee recorded voice votes advancing each item. For the other two resolutions (House Resolution 128 and House Resolution 129) the committee also voted to pass; the transcript records only voice votes with no roll-call tallies.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the transcript): House Resolution 119 (Mario Stinchcomb) — advanced by voice vote; House Resolution 118 (Michael Wolfolk) — advanced by voice vote; House Resolution 130 (Cedric Moore) — advanced by voice vote; House Resolution 128 — advanced by voice vote; House Resolution 129 — advanced by voice vote. The transcript does not record roll-call tallies or individual recorded aye/no votes.
