Donations pour in for Missouri man freed after 43 years

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nearly $1.4 million had been raised as of Saturday for a man who spent 43 years behind bars before a judge overturned his conviction in a triple killing.

The Midwest Innocence Project set up the GoFundMe fundraiser as they fought for Kevin Strickland’s release, noting that he wouldn’t receive compensation from Missouri and would need help paying for basic living expenses. The state only allows wrongful imprisonment payments to people who were exonerated through DNA evidence, so the 62-year-old Strickland wouldn’t qualify.

Judge James Welsh, a retired Missouri Court of Appeals judge, ordered his release on Tuesday, finding that evidence used to convict Strickland had since been recanted or disproven. By midday Saturday, $1.39 million had been donated to help Strickland.

Strickland has always maintained that he was home watching television and had nothing to do with the killings, which happened in 1978 when he was 18 years old.



Kevin Strickland, 62, managed a smile while talking to the media after his release from prison, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, in Cameron, Mo. Strickland, who was jailed for more than 40 years for three murders, was released from prison Tuesday after a judge ruled that he was wrongfully convicted in 1979. (Rich Sugg/The Kansas City Star via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/missouri-b7f455ba677983c0ce9587dc7dedb5f0

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Here is his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kevin-strickland-after-wrongful-conviction

[jmbar2]

1. Not sure that this is a good thing

This man probably has no idea how to manage that much money. He will be a target for every grifter, ex-con, long lost relative and would be "financial investor" on earth.

I hope that there are some honest and financially savvy people that can help him manage the fallout from this windfall. It will make his life very very difficult.

[Tanuki]

2. Hopefully the attorneys for the Midwest Innocence Project, who fought for

his release, will be able to steer him in the direction of sound advisors.

[Rebl2]

7. I hope so

[Calista241]

12. Yeah, someone with no free life experience shouldn't be handed millions of dollars.

Without some guidance on how to save and invest the money. He's had no job, hasn't lived on his own, hasn't done a million things you and i take for granted. I think just about anyone with that background would be broke inside of a year.

[jmbar2]

13. Or murdered by greedy relatives, girlfriends, etc.

[Polly Hennessey]

3. Let's hope the Innocence Project will

assist him as he returns to normal life. What a travesty. I hope whoever did this to him has had a miserable life.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. He lit the Mayor's Christmas tree in Kansas City Friday night.

It was super cool.

He seems an alright guy.

[Polly Hennessey]

5. That sounds good. He deserves only the best.

[Cracklin Charlie]

6. Mayor Lucas seemed so proud to honor him.

A chiefs player had been scheduled, but had to cancel at the last minute. Mayor Lucas called Mr. Strickland, and he agreed. The cheers were so loud.

[Joinfortmill]

8. He's a better person than me. I don't know as I'd be thanking God.

But, like I said, he's a better person than me.

[Fla Dem]

9. So happy for him. Hope he finds a trustworthy person to help him manage all that money.

Would hate to see someone take advantage of him and misuse his funds.

[SWBTATTReg]

10. Just watch as the state of MO tries to go after this poor gentleman to pay for ...

his upkeep in jail, even though he was wrongly convicted.

[FailureToCommunicate]

11. Just to be clear, the linked photo show him smiling, because he was released, NOT because...

he has "donations pouring in".

[Rhiannon12866]

14. As of tonight:

(I noticed that they raised the goal since this was first started)

$1,488,370 raised of $1,750,000 goal

[NurseJackie]

15. Rather than the public, should not the state be the one to make restitution...

... plus some hefty punitive payments as well?

[The Jungle 1]

16. Don't let anyone tell you Americans are not great people.

[seta1950]

17. Wow

This is awful, the state imprisoned this innocent man for a long time, the governor 😤 refused to pardon him even though the prosecutor’s office , supported his release, the sole witness recanted, the 2 other defendants have been out already, this is terrible. I can’t believe this is the U.S. of America 😮