Glynn Simmons, a man imprisoned for over 48 years in connection with a liquor store robbery and murder, has been declared innocent by Oklahoma County District Court Judge Amy Palumbo. This ruling marks the longest duration served by a wrongly convicted individual in the United States, as per the National Registry of Exonerations. Simmons, now 70, was convicted at 22 for a crime he maintained he didn’t commit, asserting he was in his home state of Louisiana at the time of the murder.
The breakthrough in Simmons’s case came after Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna re-examined the evidence and discovered crucial information withheld from the defense team. This failure to disclose key evidence, including a witness identifying alternative suspects, led to the court’s decision to vacate Simmons’s judgment and sentence in July. The judge’s order, signed this Tuesday, stated that clear and convincing evidence established that Simmons was not involved in the crime he was imprisoned for.
Simmons’s unwavering resilience and unwavering belief in his innocence were evident during a post-ruling news conference. “It’s a lesson in resilience and tenacity,” Simmons remarked. “Don’t let nobody tell you that it can’t happen, because it really can.” This case sheds light on the ordeal of wrongfully convicted individuals and underscores the importance of a thorough examination of evidence in ensuring justice. The exoneration also highlights the compensation provision in Oklahoma, where wrongfully convicted individuals can receive up to $175,000.
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