Restitution and reentry
Attaining justice is a long road, and release from prison is often just the first step
Dontae Sharpe holds a framed copy of his pardon from Governor Roy Cooper
In North Carolina, the governor must issue a pardon of innocence before a wrongfully convicted person can petition for restitution from the state — $50,000 per year of incarceration, up to $750,000 total. A pardon request includes certified copies of the indictment, judgment, and commitment, which are required by law, and a letter to the governor.
Duke Law’s Wrongful Convictions Clinic also includes letters from supporters such as pastors, counselors, and family members, and any other information that will strengthen the request. But Lau says the pardon process is opaque and can be lengthy; only five former clients — Long, Sharpe, Finch, Dudley, and Armstrong — have received pardons and some former clients have been waiting for official recognition of their innocence for more than a decade.
Some have pursued civil lawsuits against those responsible for their conviction and won large settlements. LaMonte Armstrong settled a federal lawsuit against the City of Greensboro and police. Howard Dudley settled a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Kinston and a former police officer. Ronnie Long, one of the longest-imprisoned exonerees in U.S. history, sued the City of Concord and the State Bureau of Investigation and received a formal apology from the city as well as a settlement.
But no amount of money can make up for the years lost and family milestones missed — parents’ deaths, children’s graduations, the births of grandchildren — or the sheer difficulty of reentering a changed society.
“I remember Dontae Sharpe talking about every little thing he had to adjust to after being released — the amount of traffic, being in a building that wasn't locked. He talked about how every night before going to bed he had to walk around the house checking every door and every window,” said Shoshana Silverstein JD ’20, who worked on his case.
“During the 25 years he served, you’ve got the onset of the internet and these huge changes in how life works, and he suddenly had to adapt to all of that. It doesn't matter how many books you read or how much you study any of the issues and the flaws in the criminal justice system. Until you actually talk to someone who’s been through it, it’s hard to wrap your head around the kinds of challenges they face.”