ALBAWABA – For the first time in US history, an American man -Glynn Simmons- was awarded $7 million for spending 48 years in prison wrongfully. Simmons was 23 years old when he was submitted to jail, he spent almost 5 decades for a murder he did not commit, according to The National Registry of Exonerations.
48 years of wrongful imprisonment
Simmons was jailed when he was just 23 years old and got evicted last year when he was 71 years old. He served a total of 48 years, 1 month, and 18 days for a murder he did not even commit.
Simmons was sentenced to death after being accused of killing a liquor store owner with another man. Simmons and the other man denied being in Oklahoma City at the time of the murder but detectives falsified evidence and helped convicting him.
Simmons was 23 years old when he was submitted to jail, he spent almost 5 decades for a murder he did not commit. (Shutterstock)
in 2023, Amy Palumbo, a US District Court Judge, invalidated Simmons's conviction and he was announced innocent in December 2023.
As per public records, Oklahoma council members supported Simmons with a lawsuit he declared against the city and the detectives who took part in his wrongful imprisonment by using false evidence.
Elizabeth Wang, a lead attorney, commented on this by saying: “Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.” Another leading detective at Oklahoma City said: "Although he will never get that time back, this settlement with Edmond will allow him to move forward while also continuing to press his claims against.”
A representative from Edmond city refused to comment on the matter when approached by AFP.
