Exonerated Iowa man who spent over 6 years in prison awarded $12 million
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Donald Clark, who spent more than 6 years in prison for a sex crime he did not commit, was awarded $12 million by the state district court jury on Monday.
Clark was convicted in 2010 of abusing a student during the 2003 school year. He was freed in 2016 after a judge ruled that his now-deceased public defender provided ineffective assistance. The alleged victim admitted to some false testimony and the county prosecutor’s office dropped the case.
After six days of testimony and just over two hours of deliberation, jurors found that the state public defender failed to investigate the case against Clark, and that a substandard trial performance led to his conviction and wrongful imprisonment in 2009.
After Monday’s verdict Clark said, “No matter what happens from here on out, I’m not only free from prison, but I’m also free from the state’s prison of lies. With this verdict, the rebuilding of my life can continue.”
The jury awarded Clark $8 million in past emotional distress damages and $4 million for future damages.
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