Man wrongfully imprisoned for 44 years wins $25m compensation | EUROtoday

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A Black man has obtained a historic $25m settlement after he spent 44 years of his life wrongly imprisoned in North Carolina for the rape of a white lady.

Ronnie Wallace Long, now 68, was dwelling in Concord when he was discovered responsible of rape and housebreaking by an all-white jury in 1976. At age 21, Mr Long obtained two life sentences, along with his attorneys claiming that the jury was handpicked by native legislation enforcement leaders.

But it was not till August 2020 {that a} federal appeals court docket ordered a brand new listening to for Mr Long in his effort to acquire aid. Shortly after, his conviction was vacated.

That identical yr, Mr Long was launched from jail and obtained a full pardon of innocence by Gov Roy Cooper. Mr Long then sued the state of North Carolina and the town of Concord in 2021.

The $25m award, of which the native authorities can pay $22m, additionally got here with a written apology from the town of Concord for its function in Mr Long’s imprisonment

“We are deeply remorseful for the past wrongs that caused tremendous harm to Mr Long, his family, friends, and our community,” the town’s assertion learn. “While there are no measures to fully restore to Mr. Long and his family all that was taken from them, through this agreement we are doing everything in our power to right the past wrongs and take responsibility.”

Mr Long was helped for years in his legal case enchantment by a wrongful convictions clinic at Duke University’s legislation college.

His attorneys had stated that greater than 40 fingerprints collected from the scene had been by no means shared and didn’t match Mr Long’s.

Semen samples additionally had been by no means disclosed to the defence and later disappeared.

A state fee initially awarded Mr Long $750,000 — by legislation the state’s high compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration.

But he then sued in federal court docket in Raleigh, accusing Concord cops of “extraordinary misconduct” that led to his wrongful conviction and imprisonment in violation of his civil rights.

The State Bureau of Investigation additionally admitted that “as a result of the SBI’s role in hiding evidence from Mr Long and his legal team that proved his innocence,” an announcement from his attorneys within the lawsuit stated.

While Mr Long’s attorneys described the financial funds as one of many largest wrongful conviction settlements nationwide, they stated the town’s assertion was extraordinarily vital to their consumer.

“This result speaks to the magnitude of injustice that occurred in Mr Long’s case,” stated Chris Olson, one in every of his legal professionals within the lawsuit, including the “apology goes a long way in helping Mr Long heal.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.