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Glynn Simmons, 71, has been exonerated within the 1974 homicide of Carolyn Rogers at an Edmond, Oklahoma liquor retailer.Simmons spent 48 years, one month and 18 days behind bars for the crime he didn’t commit, insisting he had been in Louisiana on the time of the killing.”It is a lesson in resilience and tenacity,” Simmons mentioned after the ruling. “Do not let no one let you know that it (exoneration) cannot occur, as a result of it actually can.”
An Oklahoma decide has exonerated a person who spent almost 50 years in jail for homicide, the longest serving inmate to be declared harmless of against the law.
Glynn Simmons, 71, who was launched in July after prosecutors agreed that key proof in his case was not turned over to his protection attorneys, was dominated harmless Tuesday.
“This courtroom finds by clear and convincing proof that the offense for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned… was not dedicated by Mr. Simmons,” in response to the ruling by Oklahoma County District Choose Amy Palumbo.
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Simmons served 48 years, one month and 18 days since his conviction, making him the longest imprisoned U.S. inmate to be exonerated, in response to information saved by The Nationwide Registry of Exonerations.
Simmons mentioned afterward that he feels vindicated after his time in jail that included initially being sentenced to dying row.
“It is a lesson in resilience and tenacity,” Simmons mentioned throughout a short information convention following the ruling. “Do not let no one let you know that it (exoneration) cannot occur, as a result of it actually can.”
An Oklahoma decide has exonerated a person who served almost 50 years in jail for against the law he didn’t commit.
Simmons has maintained his innocence, saying he was in Louisiana on the time of the 1974 slaying of Carolyn Sue Rogers inside an Edmond liquor retailer.
He and co-defendant Don Roberts have been each convicted in 1975 of the homicide and initially sentenced to dying. Their sentences have been decreased to life in jail in 1977 after U.S. Supreme Court docket rulings associated to capital punishment. Roberts was launched on parole in 2008.
Palumbo in July ordered a brand new trial for Simmons after District Legal professional Vicki Behenna mentioned prosecutors had failed to show over proof within the case, together with a police report that confirmed an eyewitness might need recognized different suspects within the case.
Behenna in September mentioned there isn’t a longer bodily proof within the case in opposition to Simmons and introduced she wouldn’t retry him, although she opposed declaring him really harmless.
A spokesperson for Behenna declined fast touch upon Wednesday.
The ruling makes Simmons eligible for as much as $175,000 in compensation from the state for wrongful conviction and opens the door for a federal lawsuit in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis and legislation enforcement concerned in Simmons’ arrest and conviction, protection legal professional Joe Norwood mentioned Wednesday.
Compensation, although, is probably going years away, Norwood mentioned and Simmons is at present dwelling on donations whereas present process therapy for most cancers that was detected after his launch from jail.
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“Glynn is having to reside off of GoFundMe, that’s actually how the person is surviving proper now, paying hire, shopping for meals,” Norwood mentioned. “Getting him compensation, and getting compensation is just not for certain, is sooner or later and he has to maintain himself now.”
Oklahoma decide exonerates man who served 48 years on faulty conviction
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