LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada will pay over $220,000 to a Las Vegas man as compensation for being imprisoned for more than four years for crimes a judge has ruled he didn’t commit.
The state Board of Examiners consisting of Gov. Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Barbara K. Cegavske granted Ignacio Dealba’s compensation request on Tuesday.
A jury convicted Dealba in 2006 of robbery with a deadly weapon and attempted murder with a weapon despite, according to his current lawyers, a total lack of physical evidence, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Dealba’s trial defense attorney failed to have an alibi witness testify and the robbery victim’s statement said she didn’t think Dealba was the robber though a witness’ testimony did incriminate Dealba.
Another man convicted in the case initially said Dealba was involved in the robbery but later recanted, saying he felt pressured by police.
In 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court reversed Dealba’s conviction, sending the case back to trial court. Prosecutors then dropped the charges and Dealba was released from prison that December.
The board’s award to Dealba stemmed from a judge’s ruling that Dealba was actually innocent and thus eligible under state law for compensation.