An Oklahoma jury has acquitted a man who spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder. This is the longest prison term for a person who has now been found innocent, the agency reported on December 20 Associated Press.
Glynn Simmons, 71, served 48 years, one month and 18 days. He was accused of murdering Carolyn Sue Rogers in 1974. He protested his innocence and said that he was in Louisiana at the time of the murder. However, he and co-defendant Don Roberts were found guilty in 1975 and initially sentenced to death, but in 1977 the men’s sentences were reduced to life imprisonment. Roberts was released on parole in 2008. Glynn Simmons was released in July after prosecutors agreed that key evidence in his case had not been turned over to his lawyers. And on Tuesday, December 19, he was found not guilty.
Simmons is entitled to up to $175,000 in damages from the state for his wrongful conviction, and he could also file claims against Oklahoma City and law enforcement. However, according to his lawyer, the money will likely take several years to come, but in the meantime, Simmons lives on donations and is undergoing treatment for cancer, which was discovered after his release from prison.
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2023-12-21 07:13:04
