In the US, a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 48 years gets $7 million in damages

Glyn Simmons, 71, was originally sentenced to death for killing a liquor store employee during a 1975 robbery in Edmond. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

A 71-year-old African-American will receive $7.15 million (6.52 million euros) in restitution after serving nearly half a century in prison for a murder he did not commit in Oklahoma. Prior to his release at the end of 2023, Glynn Simmons became the longest-serving inmate in U.S. history, according to the U.S. National Parole Registry.

Released after 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison, he filed a complaint against the city of Edmond, Oklahoma, and the inspector who helped arrest him. On Monday, Aug. 12, the city’s City Council approved a financial settlement to avoid a court battle, according to public records. This compensation ends “a part” Cases were initiated “against the cities and the police who falsified evidence (…) to get him charged with murder”Attorneys for Glynn Simmons explained in a press release issued Tuesday.

“Mr. Simmons spent a long time in prison for a crime he did not commit.”Elizabeth Wang, one of his lawyers, insisted. “Although he will never get that time back, this agreement with Edmond will allow him to move forward as he continues to assert his rights against Oklahoma City and a detective.” Contacted by AFP, the city of Edmond declined to comment.

In 1975, Glynn Simmons was sentenced to death along with another man, Don Roberts, for murdering a liquor store employee during a robbery in Edmond. Their sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. The convictions of the two men were based on the simple testimony of a teenager who was a customer of the store and was shot in the head during the robbery. The teenager said he recognized them during the identification session, but his allegations were questioned in the subsequent investigation.

During the trial, both explained that they were not in Oklahoma on the day of the murder. Glynn Simmons’ conviction was overturned by US courts in July 2023. Five months later, in December, he was officially declared innocent. Don Roberts, who was charged in the case, was released from prison in 2008, according to the US National Parole Register.