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Published on December 21, 2023 10:18 p.m
Video length: 1 min
USA: Glynn Simmons, the defendant released after 48 years in prison United States: Glynn Simmons, the defendant released after 48 years in prison – (France 2)
Article written by France 2 – F.Genauzeau, A.Sangouard
France TV
After 48 years behind bars, Glynn Simmons was released by the American justice system last July. Released from prison at the age of 71, he is only entitled to 160,000 euros in compensation.
Glynn Simmons was wrongly accused of a murder in a supermarket in Oklahoma, USA. He is the innocent man who served the longest prison sentence in the history of American justice. The man who stood trial on December 19, 2023 – he was released before his trial – has to read the verdict again to believe it: “The acts were not committed by Mr Glynn Simmons.”
A single witness
He was arrested in 1975 when he was just 22 years old. He had stated that he was not at the scene at the time of the events, but had been singled out by the only witness during an identification session, a teenage girl injured by a gunshot to the head, and whose version is contradicted by the following .
The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was released in July. The handcuffs were symbolically removed in front of the camera: “If you know that you are innocent, fight, don't let anyone tell you that it is impossible, because it is possible.” He is only entitled to 160,000 euros in compensation; he lives on donations other people. He also has to fight cancer. Glynn Simmons vowed to fight against miscarriages of justice.
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