Record: This American spent 48 years innocently behind bars Cold instead of Caribbean: Cruise suddenly changes route – Germans find out too late

After more than 48 years in prison, a man wrongly convicted of murder in the US state of Oklahoma has been declared innocent. The 71-year-old was sentenced to death in 1975.

According to the National Registry of Exonerations project, 71-year-old Glynn Simmons is the inmate who served the longest innocent time behind bars in American history before being exonerated.

The African-American was released in July after exactly 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison. Judge Amy Palumbo at the time overturned Simmons’ conviction. The official acquittal took place on Tuesday, as announced on Wednesday. “We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” Simmons said afterward. “Finally we can say that justice has been served.”

One explanation was enough

Simmons and another suspect, Don Roberts, were sentenced to death in 1975 for the murder of an Edmond liquor store employee during a robbery. The death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment. The conviction was based solely on the testimony of a teenager who suffered a gunshot wound to the head during the robbery but survived.

She then stated that she recognized Simmons and Roberts. Later, serious doubts arose about the reliability of this statement. Both men testified at trial that they were not even in Oklahoma at the time of the crime. Roberts was released from prison in 2008.

Simmons should now be entitled to compensation. “What has been done cannot be undone, but there can be responsibility,” said the acquitted man.

In the US there are always serious errors in judgment. Members of minorities such as African Americans, who often cannot afford good lawyers, are often affected. Critics see systemic racism in the American justice system. (sda/afp)