New Zealand to compensate man wrongly jailed for 19 years

A New Zealand man who endured a 19-year imprisonment due to a wrongful conviction is slated to receive an unprecedented compensation of nearly NZ$5 million (approximately $3 million, or €2.76 million), as confirmed by the government on Friday.

In 1986, Alan Hall was found guilty of the murder of Arthur Easton and the intentional injury of Arthur's son, Brendon Easton. He was given a life sentence, but his conviction was overturned in 2022.

In light of the miscarriage of justice, the government has committed to a compensation sum of NZ$4,933,725, as redress for the years Hall spent unjustly incarcerated, New Zealand's acting Justice Minister, Deborah Russell said.

How did Hall end up in prison?

There was no forensic evidence connecting Hall to the location, and the perpetrator was reported to possess different characteristics in terms of height and ethnicity. Despite this, Hall was convicted.

After serving a portion of his sentence, Hall was granted parole in 1994. In 2012, he was reincarcerated due to violations of his parole terms.

He was finally released and exonerated last year.

"The government acknowledges Mr. Hall's innocence and offers an unreserved apology for the erroneous convictions and wrongful imprisonment he endured," Russell said. 

"While I recognize that the apology and compensation cannot entirely rectify the profound injustice Mr. Hall suffered, my hope is that they will serve as a measure to aid Mr. Hall in reconstructing his life and facilitate his pursuit of personal aspirations," she added.

Hall family releases statement

In a released statement, the Hall family expressed the significance of the government's recognition of Alan Hall's innocence. They highlighted the dedicated efforts of Alan's mother, Shirley, who fought for years to clear his name. 

"Alan's mother Shirley, his greatest champion, fought for decades to hear those words. That she is not present today to hear them finally spoken makes this moment bittersweet," the family said.

Hall's family said they were relieved the fight to clear his name was over. "Alan was 24 when he was arrested. He is now 61. With the announcement today, Alan can now focus on what was denied to him for decades, building his life as a free man."

The Hall family further extended their acknowledgment to the Easton family and expressed hope that ongoing investigations will ultimately unearth the truth regarding Arthur's death, holding the accountable parties responsible for their actions.

tg/ab (dpa, AFP)