Stephen Slevin at the time of his arrest (left) and nearly two years later on his release (right)

Stephen Slevin, 58, was arrested in August 2005 in Dona Ana County, New Mexico.

He was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated driving while under the influence, driving with a suspended licence, possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and improper use of registration.

But his case was not resolved until June 2007, when it was dismissed without prejudice after a district judge found him "incompetent and not dangerous".

Mr Slevin's lawyer said his client had been kept in virtual "false imprisonment" and been left to "decay" in jail.

During his incarceration, he says, he was even forced to pull out his own tooth after he was refused a visit to a dentist.

A picture taken when Mr Slevin was released showed he had grown a lengthy grey beard during his time in jail.

Dona Ana County authorities argued that the length of Mr Slevin's 22-month stay was "entirely" in the hands of the then-district attorney's office, the public defender's office and state District Court.

They pointed out that Mr Slevin's criminal history at the time of his arrest was 26 pages long and said they intended to appeal against the award.