Man Gets N22 Billion Compensation after Spending 44 Years in Prison for Crime He Didn't Commit
- A man identified as Ronnie Long filed a lawsuit after spending 44 years in prison for a crime he did not commit
- He reached a $25 million settlement in his lawsuit against state and local law enforcement officials
- The settlement included a public apology from the city of Concord, North Carolina, acknowledging the wrongful conviction and imprisonment
Ronnie Long, a resident of Concord, North Carolina, has reached a landmark $25 million (N22 billion) settlement in his lawsuit against state and local law enforcement officials.
Long was wrongfully convicted of defiling a woman in 1976 and spent 44 years behind bars before his release.
Source: UGC
Man’s wrongful conviction and settlement after 44 years in prison
The city of Concord publicly acknowledged the grave errors and willful misconduct that led to Ronnie Long's wrongful conviction and subsequent imprisonment.
In a statement, the Concord City Council expressed deep remorse for the harm caused to Long, his family, friends, and the community.
The council recognized the extraordinary loss of freedom and years of life that Long endured due to the wrongful conviction. They emphasized their commitment to righting the past wrongs and taking responsibility for the miscarriage of justice.
The statement said;
"We are deeply remorseful for the past wrongs that caused tremendous harm to Mr. Long, his family, friends and our community. Mr. Long suffered the extraordinary loss of his freedom and a substantial portion of his life because of this conviction.”
Man’s quest to clear his name and seek justice
Throughout his 44-year ordeal, Ronnie Long remained steadfast in his quest for justice and to clear his name and his family's name.
Alongside the monetary settlement, Long insisted on a public apology to ensure that his innocence was recognized and to restore his family's reputation, NY Times reports.
His legal representation, the Duke Law School Wrongful Convictions Clinic, supported his pursuit of exoneration and worked tirelessly to secure the settlement.
The $25 million settlement included $22 million from the city of Concord and $3 million from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Ronnie Long's case served as a stark reminder of the importance of due process, the devastating consequences of wrongful convictions, and the need for accountability within the criminal justice system.
The settlement included significant monetary compensation and a public apology from the city of Concord.
Man finally released after being wrongfully imprisoned for 28 years
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a man wrongly convicted and jailed for close to 30 years has walked free after it was found he was innocent. Johnson Lamar, 50, locked up in prison since 1994 finally regained his freedom in 2023 after the case was revisited.
Johnson was convicted for the murder of Marcus Boyd who was shot dead by two masked men in St Louis, Missouri, BBC reported. Police authorities had always believed that the killing of Boyd was connected to a drug conflict, but Johnson maintained his innocence throughout the years. He had always said he was at home when the murder happened and had nothing to do with it.
Erika Barrow who was Johnson's girlfriend testified that they were both at home at the time the murder happened. The wrong conviction has now been overturned after he has spent 28 years in prison. His release was made possible after another prisoner confessed that he shot Boyd, UNILAD reports.
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Source: Legit.ng
