Does This Man Deserve Sympathy ?

[paraffin]

Robert "Sean" Hodgson, having spent 27 years in prison, has just been released, having had his life sentence for murder quashed as a result of DNA evidence which has come to light over the past year. But he was convicted in the first place after he actually confessed to the murder, but it turns out he had lied about that. Does he therefore deserve our sympathy, and what does it say about the jury who convicted him in the first place?
And isn't he lucky that the death penalty had been abolished?

[Julnar]

I have the utmost sympathy for him. He would have gone to prison before computers and mobile phones became commonplace, so I would imagine he will experience a number of difficulties acclimatising himself to the pace of today's world.

[Totterdown]

Does he deserve our sympathy? YES. Because it has now emerged he was suffering from an illness when he so say 'confessed' under pressure. The police were happy to get a conviction. They are at fault for not testing the evidence thorougly, not Sean Hodgson.

Is he lucky that the dealth penalty has been abolished? YES, without a doubt. How many in the past have had the death penalty that could have been innocent?

[sandmaster]

I can sympathise because he was obviously of low intellect. And he was not eligible for parole because he retracted his confession and refused to acknowledge his guilt. But his compensation (unavoidable) should be reduced because of his earlier lies.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I'm so glad we don't have the death penalty.

He looked so bewildered when he walked out of the prison, and old, I hope to God (if I'm allowed to invoke His name) that he is alright in this awful strange new world. There was a cartoon in the 'Metro' - caption something like 'I'm looking forward to getting a job, a credit card and a mortgage on my dream house'.

Welcome to the real world! should have been the caption, but wasn't.

But anyway, welcome back Sean.

[brionon]

The poor bloke confessed to other murders, he'd have claimed to be Jack the Ripper. The Police just rubbed their hands and charged him.

[Velvetee]

Well they claim he was mentally ill at the time of his confession. Perhaps being in a vulnerable situation he was bullied by police to confess and did so because he didn't know what else to do.