by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
December 21, 2023
71-year-old Glynn Simmons was exonerated for a homicide he was convicted of in 1975
After spending virtually 50 years in jail for against the law he didn’t commit, an Oklahoma choose dominated that former prisoner Glynn Simmons is harmless. He’s now formally a free man!
Based on The Related Press, 71-year-old Glynn Simmons was exonerated by Oklahoma County District Decide Amy Palumbo for a homicide he was convicted of in 1975. He was launched in July when prosecutors admitted that key proof in his case was by no means given to his protection attorneys.
“This court docket finds by clear and convincing proof that the offense for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned… was not dedicated by Mr. Simmons,” Palumbo mentioned.
Simmons was in jail for a complete of 48 years, one month, and 18 days. That sum made him the longest-imprisoned U.S. inmate to be exonerated, based mostly on knowledge from The Nationwide Registry of Exonerations.
After the announcement of the choose’s ruling, Simmons spoke to the press.
“It’s a lesson in resilience, and tenacity. Don’t let no person inform you that it (exoneration) can’t occur as a result of it actually can.”
“Justice was accomplished as we speak.”-Glynn Simmons pic.twitter.com/merHScM6dM
— Ali Meyer (@amanchor) December 19, 2023
Simmons was initially convicted together with a co-defendant, Don Roberts, in 1975 of the homicide of Carolyn Sue Rogers, who was killed inside an Edmond liquor retailer in 1974. He at all times proclaimed his innocence (he insisted he was in Louisiana on the time of the homicide), whereas he and Roberts, who was freed in 2008 when he was granted parole, had been initially sentenced to dying. Because of a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court docket in 1977, their sentences had been diminished to life in jail.
Palumbo ordered a brand new trial after District Legal professional Vicki Behenna acknowledged that prosecutors had not turned over proof within the case, which included a police report that exposed {that a} witness might have pointed to different suspects. So, in September, citing the truth that there was no bodily proof in opposition to Simmons, Behenna introduced that he wouldn’t be retried, however she was in opposition to declaring him harmless.
Simmons has began a GoFundMe to assist along with his monetary wants and has collected virtually 4 occasions ($175,699) the acknowledged purpose of $50,000.
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