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Washington DOC Agrees to Pay $20,000 for Miscalculating Sentence

On December 21, 2006, the state of Washington agreed to pay $20,000 to a former prisoner whose release date was miscalculated by Department of Corrections (DOC) officials.

Lee Harper spent an extra 193 days in DOC custody after DOC staff miscalculated the amount of prior custody credit to which he was entitled.

When Harper was sentenced in 1996, the court order that Harper be given credit for time served on each of the charges he was sentenced for, two of which ran concurrent with each other, the other consecutive. The DOC, however, failed to give Harper credit for the time he served on the consecutive sentence.

Harper sued the State and several DOC officials in their individual capacities. The State then offered judgment under Fed.R.Civ.P.68 in the amount of $20,000, which Harper accepted, resolving his false imprisonment, negligence and 1983 claims.

Harper was represented by Stephen Teller of Seattle, Washington. See: Harper v. State of Washington, No. CV-06-1123-RSM (W.D. Wa.).

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Related legal case

Harper v. State of Washington