NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Board of Parole says the governor should not formally exonerate a man who spent 31 years in prison but was released after DNA evidence cleared him of the crime.
News organizations report that the board heard the case of Lawrence McKinney on Tuesday and decided the 60-year-old should not be able to clear his record and gain compensation, concluding that the absence of his DNA following a rape was not conclusive evidence of his innocence.
McKinney says his legal team plans to request an exoneration directly from Gov. Bill Haslam, who is not bound by the board's recommendation.
McKinney had been falsely accused of rape and burglary in 1977 in Memphis.
If McKinney is exonerated, he would be eligible for compensation of up to $1 million.