US Court Exonerates 70-Year-Old Man After 48 Years in Prison

A 70-year-old man, Glynn Simmons, from Louisiana, was acquitted by an Oklahoma judge after spending 48 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. This is the longest-known wrongful sentence in the United States.

Mr Simmons was convicted and sentenced to death in 1975 for the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers during a liquor store robbery in an Oklahoma City suburb. Mr Simmons and his co-defendant, Don Roberts, were both convicted in part because of testimony from a teenager who had been shot in the back of the head.

The teenager pointed to several other men during police line-ups and later contradicted some of her testimony. Mr Roberts was released on parole in 2008.

Mr Simmons maintained his innocence throughout his 48-year sentence, saying he was in Louisiana at the time of the murder. In July, a district court found that prosecutors had not turned over all evidence to defence lawyers, including that a witness had identified other suspects. This led to the court vacating his sentence.

On Tuesday, Judge Amy Palumbo declared Mr Simmons innocent, stating that “this court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offence for which Mr Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned… was not committed by Mr Simmons.”

In reaction to the ruling, Mr Simmons said, “It’s a lesson in resilience and tenacity… Don’t let nobody tell you it can’t happen because it really can.” Mr Simmons is currently battling liver cancer, according to his GoFundMe page, which has raised thousands of dollars to help support his living costs and chemotherapy.

On Monday, the Oklahoma County District Attorney stated that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a new trial. Wrongfully convicted people who serve time in Oklahoma are eligible for up to £138,000 ($175,000) in compensation.

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