A man who served nearly 50 years in prison in the US state of Oklahoma and was released by prosecutors in July has been found not guilty by a court.
Oklahoma District Court Judge Amy Palumbo ruled that 71-year-old Glynn Simmons, who served 48 years, 1 month and 18 days in prison on murder charges and was released by prosecutors after his lawyers appealed, was not guilty.
Palumbo, who evaluated the appeal of Simmons' lawyers to the court after her release, stated in his decision, "Our court has found clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Simmons did not commit the crime for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced and sentenced."
Oklahoma District Court Judge Amy Palumbo ordered a new trial after District Attorney Vicki Behenna said in July that prosecutors who participated in the previous trial had failed to fully clarify the evidence in the case.
The District Attorney played an important role in the retrial by introducing as evidence a police report showing that an eyewitness may have identified other suspects in the case.
She is entitled to up to 175 thousand dollars in damages
The court's latest ruling gives Simmons the right to seek up to $175,000 in damages from the state for wrongful conviction.
Simmons' attorney, Joe Norwood, said he may also file a federal lawsuit against the city of Oklahoma City and the law enforcement agencies involved in his client's arrest and conviction.
Norwood said it would likely take years to recover damages and that Simmons is currently living on donations while undergoing treatment for cancer that was discovered after his release from prison.
Simmons: This is a lesson in resilience and perseverance
"This is a lesson in resilience and perseverance," Simmons said at a press conference following the court ruling.
Glynn Simmons was sentenced to death in 1975 for the 1974 murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers in a Louisiana liquor store with a man named Don Roberts, which was later commuted to life in prison.
Roberts was released on bail in 2008, while Simmons was freed in July after prosecutors found him not guilty.
Simmons, on the other hand, went down in history as the prisoner who was imprisoned for the longest time "without charge" in the US.
