A 71-year-old man was declared innocent on Tuesday in the US state of Oklahoma after serving almost 50 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.
Glynn Simmons became the person to spend the longest time in prison in United States history before being exonerated, according to the U.S. National Registry of Exonerations.
Oklahoma judge rules that Glynn Simmons, man wrongfully spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder, is innocent https://t.co/en072NIFJg
-USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 21, 2023
An Oklahoma man convicted of murder in 1975 was acquitted in court Tuesday after serving more than 48 years in prison, authorities said. According to a case file, he served the longest wrongful sentence in the US. https://t.co/CfihfMHipV
– The New York Times (@nytimes) December 20, 2023
Together with another man, Don Roberts, this African-American was sentenced to death in 1975 for the murder of a liquor store employee during a robbery in Edmond, a city in the state of Oklahoma.
The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
The conviction of the two men came based on the simple testimony of a customer at the store, a teenager, who was shot in the head during the robbery but survived.
The teen claimed to have recognized them during the identification session, but a subsequent investigation questioned her claims.
During the trial, both men claimed they were not in Oklahoma on the day of the robbery.
Glynn Simmons was released in July after 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison and was found innocent on Tuesday by an Oklahoma court that overturned his conviction.
“Justice was served today.”
-Glynn Simmons pic.twitter.com/merHScM6dM– Ali Meyer (@amanchor) December 19, 2023
Judge Amy Palumbo just found Glynn Simmons’ factual innocence. It is thus ordered: “…this offense was not committed by Mr. Simmons.” pic.twitter.com/lV8YoFgywB
– Ali Meyer (@amanchor) December 19, 2023
“This is a day we have been waiting for for a long time. We can say that today, justice has finally been done,” Simmons told reporters.
The other man convicted in the case, Don Roberts, was released from prison in 2008, according to the U.S. National Registry of Exonerations.
Glynn Simmons is now eligible for compensation.
“What’s done is done, but there must be accountability,” he stressed.
Source: DN
