After 23 years in prison, exonerated Florida man still awaits compensation

A Florida man spent 23 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. DNA evidence cleared him, and the charges were dropped. While a judge said he should receive more than $1 million in compensation, Jeffrey Abramowski said he hasn’t seen a dime.

“I feel like I’m still in prison,” Abramowski said. “When I first was released, I was the happiest person in the world. You know, I was going through so many wonderful emotions. I was finally able to make choices again. Now, all of a sudden, I get out here and I realize, man, I’m on my own, and the people who did this to me aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

His conviction was vacated in April of last year. In July 2025, the State Attorney’s Office dropped all charges and declined to retry him. In January 2026, a judge signed an order recommending compensation. It was filed the following month.

Abramowski said he was relying on that money because he has no job experience from the past two decades. He also said he was severely injured while in prison.

“An inmate attacked me and broke my ribs and hurt my side and everything, so I’m disabled right now,” Abramowski said.

A court order said a judge recommended Abramowski be declared innocent under Florida’s Wrongful Incarceration Compensation Act. The order recommends compensation of $50,000 for each year he spent in prison, reimbursement of all court costs tied to his conviction, and expungement of his record in this case.

Abramowski said he hasn’t heard anything or received any compensation.

“I just wanna be able to try and catch up and have some sort of lifestyle,” Abramowski said.