'Just trying to be an everyday guy'

His reply was barely audible.

"I accept."

Moments earlier Rep. Jack Seiler, D-Fort Lauderdale, had this to say to Alan Crotzer: "I don't ever think we've said we're sorry. What we put you through and what you had to live through, on behalf of the state, we owe you an apology, and I hope at some point you can accept that apology."

Crotzer, 47, and formerly of St. Petersburg, spent 24 years in prison on a rape conviction only to be exonerated by DNA evidence. He has struggled for two years to get compensation and today he moved a step forward when the House Policy and Budget Council voted unanimously to pay him $1.25-million.

"My whole world was upside down when I got out," Crotzer told the lawmakers. "I'm just trying to be an everyday guy. Compensation will get me the education as well as the tools to rebuild my life." (photo Crotzer, center, speaks with Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff. Click here here for short video of his reaction to vote)

The bill now heads to the House floor, where passage is certain. The Senate is also expected to pass the bill.

Less clear is the fate of a related bill that would establish an automatic compensation process for other cases of wrongful incarceration. Bogdanoff is trying to craft a plan with the Senate that would provide up to $50,000 for each year a person spends in prison.

But the legislation would eliminate anyone with a prior felony conviction -- a provision that would have eliminated Crotzer. Democrats offered an amendment to remove that "clean hands" measure but it failed.

Bogdanoff, who has be working on the issue for a few years, showed the frustration of trying to please all sides. "It is unacceptable to some of the senators to have a two page rap sheet and provide compensation," she said, adding that a person could still go through the normal claims bill process.

"If this bill is voted down," she warned, "we've got nothing to work with."

It passed on a party line vote.

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The original bill to compensate Crotzer was filed by Rep. Luis Garcia, D-Miami Beach, but today a committee substitute was presented by Bogdanoff. Some Democrats wondered if the GOP was playing politics, perhaps trying to strip Garcia of a legislative victory as he heads toward the November election. Garcia's bill was the first filed in the session.

Comments

"Less clear is the fate of a bill that would establish an automatic compensation process for future cases of wrongful incarceration."

well, of course not!

lets remember the STATE rarely makes mistakes in the criminal justice process, does it?

and if you dont believe it, we WILL come, lock you up and loose the key!!

absolutely absurd.

exonerated but has to come to the slimes in the house and senate, hat in hand, BEGGING to be treated with a bit of human dignity!

sorry, Mr. Crotzer, you should have beeen born white.

of course, were you white, you wouldnt have been railroaded, would you?

[Why Tea]

White like Nichole Brown-Simpson or Ron Goldman? Didn't the killer get away scott free due to a racist black jury? Guess you didn't listen to Obama's speech today.

Now back to this guy. Why does some gang banger's family in Panama City get a nice chunk of change while an innocent man like this gets screwed? The State of Florida should be begging for forgiveness from this man and needs to go the extra mile. This guy's case changed my view on the death penalty. I'm pro-life craddle to grave after learning about Crotzer.

White like Obama's grandmother that he just publicly threw under the bus in defense of his racist pastor?

1.25 million to one man which will not restore a single lost minute of his time spent in prison. 1.25 million that could have gone toward medically needy or a myriad of other more responbile spendign that would have had broader impact. Sorry, this is stupid politics. Offer the man a tuition scholarship somewhere or have some politician find him a job but don't throw 1.25 million dollars to compensate for lost time that money can't replace. Besides when you pay 1.25, million all you get are complaints that it still wasn't enough.

8:27
as much as i want to agree with you, giving the man a little over $62,000 for each year he spent in jail isn't ridiculous at all. That's giving him the benefit of the dooubt that he'd have had a low to moderate paying job with a little extra thrown in for his trouble. It really isn't that unreasonalble.

5.16, i really dont give a damn about a jury in california or some "gang banger" somewhere in florida!!

this MAN was railroaded because the local cops just reached out and picked up the nearest "neegra" and threw him away, knowing he wasnt guilty but confident THEIR CRIMES would never be discovered....WRONG!!!!...this time.

but how many other folks, black, white, brown are in the slammer because the locals are incompetent, ignorant jerks?

care to stake YOUR LIFE on that??

i didnt think so!!