MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. – A Montgomery County man is finally getting closure after he was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.
Closure in the amount of nearly half a million dollars.
David Kingrea received over $55,000 last year from the Commonwealth for the time he spent in jail in 2014 for a crime he didn’t commit.
But that’s not where David’s story ends. There was more money to come for the eight years Kingrea wrongfully spent on the Virginia Sex Offender Registry.
“Being on the registry itself has been a death sentence,” said Kingrea.
While on the registry, Kingrea was barred from parts of his son, Dylan’s life.
He couldn’t visit Dylan at school, take him to the playground or even be apart of parent-teacher conferences.
Kingrea will receive about $431,000 from the Commonwealth for his time on the sex offender registry.
“It’s half a million dollars. You know no amount of money can ever pay for time. Time is so precious. And that’s a fact. It can buy a lot of things, it can’t buy that but it can make things right for tomorrow,” said Kingrea.
It should’ve been MILLIONS.
Nowadays when it comes to sex crimes, a mere accusation is considered sufficient proof to convict. Even when there is no other evidence, and sometimes even with evidence to the contrary. This case highlights the problem with this type of prosecution, which appears to be limited solely to sex crime.
Agree that whoever reported this false incident – be it the victim, child services, teacher, neighborhood busybody – is responsible. I would argue that the state should prosecute that person, as the accusation cost the state upwards of $1M (factoring investigation, prosecution, conviction and appeal as well as his settlement). But that won’t happen, under the absolutely absurd notion that prosecuting false accusations somehow discourages reporting genuine ones.
Also, this is from Virginia, not California.
Wait… Its not a punishment so why was he owed anything?! Oh that’s right, the statement that its not punishment is bull and the government knows it.
Should be the same for those who are granted reductions to tier 1. They take months to make the changes. If it is earned, it should be done. Not a sit on it and wait.
This is very interesting for me, On a probation transfer the California superior court accidentally convicted me twice for the same crime, I spent 5 days in jail and lived with the conviction for 14 years. I should’ve been off the registry 2 years ago BUT because of this mistake Im still here battling the registry.
I want my money for the 5 days I spent in jail and the two extra years I spent on the registry.
My attorney keeps calming me down she wants me to just focus on getting off the registry for now.
If the so-called sex registry is just “regulatory” and “civil” (as they love to claim) then WHY is it defamatory and life-destroying for someone ELSE that is placed on it by “mistake?”