Glynn Simmons was convicted in 1975, along with Don Roberts, for the murder of a liquor store clerk during a robbery in Edmond.
Oklahoma City, USA – Glynn Simmons, a 71-year-old man who spent nearly five decades in prison for a murder he did not commit, has been awarded a $7.15 million settlement by the city of Edmond, Oklahoma.
Simmons, who was exonerated last year after serving 48 years, one month, and 18 days in prison, will receive the payment as part of a settlement resolving his claims against the city and a detective involved in his wrongful conviction.
According to his lawyers, the settlement is a “partial” resolution of his lawsuit, which also targets Oklahoma City and a leading detective.
Glynn Simmons was convicted in 1975, along with Don Roberts, for the murder of a liquor store clerk during a robbery in Edmond. The conviction was based solely on the testimony of a teenage customer who survived a gunshot wound to the head. However, a subsequent investigation cast doubt on the reliability of her identifications.
Both Simmons and Roberts maintained their innocence, stating they were not in Oklahoma at the time of the murder. US District Court Judge Amy Palumbo overturned Simmons’ conviction in July last year, and he was officially declared innocent in December.
Don Roberts, who was wrongly convicted alongside Glynn Simmons, was freed from prison 14 years ago, in 2008, after serving an undisclosed amount of time.
The settlement was approved by Edmond city councillors on Monday, with the city declining to comment on the matter.
Simmons’ lead attorney, Elizabeth Wang, stated, “Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. 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 Oklahoma City and a leading detective.”
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