Strangers donate $1M to Kevin Strickland's Fund in Less Than 2 Days to Help His Wrongfully Convicted in1979

Kevin Strickland was sentenced in June 1979

Kevin Strickland spent 43 years in prison which is the longest wrongful imprisonment in U.S. history

“Joy, sorrow, fear,” the emotions Kevin Strickland said

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Strangers have donated more than a million dollars to a Kansas City man who was freed after spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

Shortly after Kevin Strickland was freed, an organizer started a GoFundMe fundraiser to benefit him. In less than two days, more than $1 million has been donated. The original goal was $430,000. Around 20,000 strangers have donated anywhere from $10 to $8,000.

Many of the donors expressed outrage that the 62-year-old wouldn’t receive compensation from Missouri. The state only allows wrongful imprisonment payments to people exonerated through DNA evidence, so Strickland doesn’t qualify.

Strangers raise more than $1 million for Kevin Strickland

The Midwest Innocence Project set up an online fundraiser in June 2021 as they fought for his release. They said he needed help paying for basic living expenses.

Organizers praised donors writing that All funds go directly to Mr. Strickland, who the state of Missouri won’t provide a dime to for the 43 years they stole from him.

As he left prison, Strickland said, I can’t begin to say all the things I am thankful for.

Mr. Strickland endured one of the longest wrongful imprisonments acknowledged in U.S. history and the longest in Missouri by more than a decade, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.

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