A 70-year-old man, Glynn Simmons, has been declared innocent by a United States judge after serving 48 years, one month, and 18 days in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Simmons was accused and convicted of the murder of Carolyn Rogers during a liquor store robbery in an Oklahoma City suburb.
Oklahoma County District Judge, Amy Palumbo, issued an order on Tuesday exonerating Simmons, stating, “This court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offence for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced, and imprisoned was not committed by Mr. Simmons.”
Simmons, who was 22 years old at the time of his arrest, becomes the longest-serving inmate to be cleared, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
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He and his co-defendant, Don Roberts, were convicted based on testimony from a teenager who had been shot in the back of the head and identified several other men during police line-ups.
Initially sentenced to death in 1975, their punishment was later reduced to life in prison due to US Supreme Court rulings on the death penalty.
Roberts was released on parole in 2008, while Simmons consistently maintained his innocence, asserting he was in his home state of Louisiana at the time of the murder.
Simmons’ conviction was vacated in July after a district court found that prosecutors had failed to disclose all evidence to the defense, including the identification of other suspects by a witness.
Wrongfully convicted individuals in Oklahoma are eligible for compensation up to $175,000 (£138,000).
Despite the legal victory, Simmons is facing health challenges and undergoing cancer treatment.
His attorney, Joe Norwood, urged support for Simmons through donations, primarily from a GoFundMe campaign, as the compensation process could take time.
Norwood emphasized the profound impact of the wrongful conviction, stating that the state of Oklahoma unjustly took away 50 years of Simmons’ life, including the prime of his work life when he could have been gaining experiences and developing skills.
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