Wrongfully Imprisoned Cleveland Man to Receive Money from State

By Stephanie Beougher

A wrongfully imprisoned Cleveland man should receive more than $600,000 from the state, according to a November 27 decision of the Court of Claims of Ohio.

The Court of Claims found that Darrell Houston proved he was entitled to the compensation.

As outlined in state law, proving wrongful imprisonment also entitles an individual to receive compensation for court costs, attorneys fees, and expenses associated with his appeals. The court awarded Houston more than $118,000 for these other expenses.

He had already received more than $260,000 of a preliminary judgment from the court.

During a four-day trial in September, attorneys argued whether Houston should be compensated for the entire 16 years he was behind bars or just a portion of it. Their arguments centered on a sentence Houston served for a valid conviction for a crime he committed two months before the murder of which he was wrongfully convicted.

The State Controlling Board has to approve final release of the awarded funds.