Even though accused people are innocent until proven guilty, the sad truth is that innocent people are serving sentences in jails and prisons right now. Some of these false convictions are never overturned. In other instances, wrongly accused people can be exonerated. Though the mistaken sentences themselves can never be undone, at least these tragic stories may be able to have happier endings. This could be the case for two men from North Carolina.

Recently, two erroneously convicted men received settlements from the state. These two men served a combined total of 31 years in confinement for murder. Both were convicted through mistakes made by agents of the State Bureau of Investigation. North Carolina's Attorney General said that some of these errors were due to old policies, which have already been changed. No apology was issued. As in most cases, a settlement is what constitutes an apology.

One of these wrongly convicted men is from Anson County. He has an IQ of 50, and the mental ability of a kid who is seven years old. He spent 14 years in a psychiatric hospital without standing trial, since he lacked the competency to do so. He was confined based on a confession that ran six pages long. A superior court judge dismissed the man's charges. Doctors and mental health professionals had stated that the man's mental disability simply could not have let him write so elaborately. The man was released in 2007, and he will receive $7.85 million from the SBI and the state. The man asked his caretaker to drive him in a BMW, and he said he likes going to Burger King.

The other man, from Wake County, was exonerated of a murder conviction. He had spent 17 years in prison. His conviction had been due to misidentifying a substance on his truck as blood. An SBI agent had affirmed that it was indeed blood, in spite of the fact that later tests said otherwise. That agent was later fired due to conduct in other cases. In a 2010 hearing of the case, witnesses changed their previous testimony. A panel of three judges ruled that the man was innocent, and he was released. This man will get a settlement of $4.625 million. When the man was imprisoned, a young daughter was left behind. She is now married and has children. This man is now reunited with his family and glad to be able to give some of the money as a cushion for them.

This is not the only time that SBI errors have cost a great deal. Another man had been sitting on death row for nine years when this was realized to be an error. He received $3.9 million from the SBI in 2009.

These are poignant, frightening examples of what blunders and wrongdoing can lead to in a trial. If you face criminal charges, then it is imperative that you get a fair trial, and it is vital to have an outstanding attorney on your side. The right criminal defense attorney can scrutinize all the evidence in a case. He or she can then suppress evidence that is erroneous. You need legal representation that provides the resounding defense you deserve. A passionate and skilled lawyer can mean the difference between harsh, undeserved sentences, and freedom. Even if you face a short sentence, a conviction would mean living with a criminal record to your name. When the rest of your life could be at stake, you cannot afford to wait to find the best lawyer possible. Call a criminal defense lawyer today!