The Umansky Law Firm

Last Friday, December 18, a 54-year-old man was exonerated and released from prison after 35 years. He was sentenced in 1974 for a rape he did not commit.

It all started in 1974 when a nine-year-old boy was taken from his room and raped in a nearby baseball diamond. The boy's description lead to his uncle pointing the police to 19-year-old Jim Bain, a young man with no prior criminal record, as the suspect. Bain was arrested and charged with the crime.

Beyond the obvious disgust of holding an innocent man behind bars for decades is that Bain had repeatedly asked for a DNA test on the victim's underwear over the years. Each request was denied. Finally, last July a judge granted the request. Bain's DNA did not match the suspect's, leading to last Friday's good news for Bain and his family.

Bain is the 246^th person in the country to be exonerated by DNA evidence. However, he has served longer than the others. Last year Florida passed a law that grants former inmates who are later found to be innocent $50,000 for each year they spent in prison. Bain will receive $1.75 million. While this seems like a lot of money many people will envy, look at the cost to Jim Bain's life.

If you have been charged with a crime in the state of Florida, including Orange County and Orlando, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm. We will aggressively fight for your rights.