A prisoner has been exonerated after a judge ruled that he was innocent of his murder charges after spending 48 years behind bars.
Glynn Simmons, a 71-year-old Oklahoma man, was released in July following the revelation that crucial evidence had not been disclosed to his defense lawyers, per the New York Post.
Oklahoma County District Judge Amy Palumbo, who presided over the case, declared Simmons innocent on Wednesday, stating: “This court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offense for which Mr. Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned… was not committed by Mr. Simmons.”
Simmons, convicted in 1975 for the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers, served an astonishing 48 years, one month, and 18 days in prison, making him the longest-imprisoned inmate to be exonerated in U.S. history, as reported by the National Registry of Exonerations.
Outside the courthouse, Simmons raised his arms in victory, expressing his vindication to reporters. "It’s a lesson in resilience and tenacity," Simmons remarked. "Don’t let nobody tell you that it (exoneration) can’t happen, because it really can."
Throughout the trial and imprisonment, Simmons consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he was in Louisiana at the time of Rogers' murder in Edmond.
Both Simmons and co-defendant Don Roberts were initially sentenced to death in 1975, a punishment later reduced to life in prison in 1977 following Supreme Court rulings on capital punishment. While Roberts was released on parole in 2008, Simmons remained incarcerated.
In July, Judge Palumbo ordered a new trial for Simmons after District Attorney Vicki Behenna disclosed that prosecutors had withheld crucial evidence, including a police report suggesting eyewitnesses may have identified other suspects. In September, Behenna announced that there was no physical evidence linking Simmons to the crime scene, and he would not be retried.
Despite his newfound freedom, Simmons is currently relying on donations from a GoFundMe campaign, according to defense attorney Joe Norwood.
Norwood noted that Simmons is eligible for up to $175,000 in compensation from the state for wrongful conviction and may pursue a federal lawsuit against Oklahoma City and authorities involved in his arrest and conviction.
However, any potential compensation is likely years away, Norwood cautioned, emphasizing the immediate need for Simmons to sustain himself.
At the time of writing, the fundraising page has gained over $80,000.
On the page Simmons outlined his intentions for the money: "I've got nothing and I am grateful for the support of relatives as I wait for the state of Oklahoma to compensate me for wrongly sending me to death row, where I was for 2.5 years.
"When that death penalty law was ruled unconstitutional, they changed my sentence to life. All for something I did not do. I'm going to use these funds to live!
"I want to get my own place to live, clothes, furniture, transportation, food, plus medical needs, because I am currently undergoing chemotherapy for liver cancer. I'm 70 years old. I plan to use my remaining time to help others who are still stuck where I was. We need to fix this system so that what happened to me will never happen to anyone else, ever again!"
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