That is also a record, even if no one wants to achieve it. He did it despite himself, Glynn Simmons an African-American man who was charged with another man, Don Roberts to have been robbed and killed Carolyn Sue Rogers, a liquor retailer in the town of Edmond, near Oklahoma City. For this reason, the two spent 48 years in prison, although their innocence has since been established. Her conviction was based on the testimony of a woman who had been injured in the robbery, but her version was later found to be contradictory on several counts. Evidence of the two men's innocence has been around for some time, but it was only last week that their non-involvement was declared.
The longest period of imprisonment
The New York Times reported the news and stated that the record was due to the longest period of unjustified incarceration in the United States. Both were initially sentenced to death, but after an appeal, the Supreme Court commuted their sentences to life imprisonment. Roberts was granted probation in 2008, while Simmons remained in prison until July of this year, when a district court overturned his conviction after finding that prosecutors at the time had not turned over all evidence to the defense, including that a witness had done so had identified additional suspects. The court then ordered a new trial, which ended with an acquittal on Thursday.
The man is now 70 years old and has been in prison since he was 22. The judge declared him innocent Amy Palumbowho announced the verdict in Oklahoma County District Court.
Declared innocent
“We have clear and obvious evidence that Mr. Simmons did not commit the crime,” Palumbo wrote in the ruling. “It's a lesson in resilience and tenacity,” Simmons commented in a press conference. “Don't let anyone tell you that it can't happen, because anything can happen.” In addition to the acquittal, the judge ruled Wednesday that Simmons must be compensated $175,000, which is about $10 for each day wrongly spent in prison corresponds.