A man in Oklahoma who spent 48 years in prison for a murder he did not commit has been exonerated. Oklahoma county district attorney, Vicki Behenna, said prosecutors had failed to turn over new evidence in the case. That included a police report showing that a witness may have identified other suspects.
Glynn Simmons, 71, was convicted in 1975 of killing a worker during the robbery of a liquor store in the city of Edmond. He and another man, Don Roberts, were picked out in a police line-up by a clerk who had been shot in the head by the two robbers.
Simmons was initially put on death row. After a decades-long fight for justice he was released in July and has now been exonerated.
“This court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the offence for which Mr Simmons was convicted, sentenced and imprisoned … was not committed by Mr Simmons,” the Oklahoma county district judge Amy Palumbo ruled. He served 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison, making him the longest-serving inmate in the United States to have been exonerated, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
This isn’t the first case of prosecutorial misconduct in the US or Australia.
We have some examples from our own reports, but the legal system has failed to expose them all. But Griffith University research has shown that prosecutorial errors are causal and contributing factors in some 17% – almost 1 in 5 – of wrongful convictions in Australia.
In Austalia there is a Policy within Government and Police – Convict at all Costs and then Deny and go to any Length to ensure the Truth never comes out. The Police and Public Servants involved don’t care how many lives they destroy because they are Protected by Corrupt Senior Public Servants and Politicians – then if at any time the truth is close to coming out – they then get the media in Australia to destroy the Credibility of the accused person. Unfortunately the Public Servants/Government Departments are more Corrupt now than ever before – The way the Legislation is written about the Ombudsman’s Office and other Corruption Fighting Authorities – ICAC – CCC – Integrity Commission – they are answerable to No One. One Comment from an Ombudsman’s Office was – We don’t need to see all the relevant evidence/information to make a Decision. With this attitude – is it any wonder some Australians have their lives destroyed by Public Servants who have all the resources to continue the LIE. Nothing will change until we have an Honest Government – and that is not likely – If a Person is cleared – they must then fight the same Public Servants who wanted to keep you in Prison to get some Compensation. No one is Responsible. Change – Legislate to have Public Servants responsible and accountable.
Good work David, I will reread later.
Owen.
The English Adversarial System of Justice is by any other name “A Government Sanctioned Licence for Police & Judiciary to Arrest, Imprison & Destroy Citizens Lives…….WHETHER They be FALSELY ACCUSED OF,OR GUILTY OF A CRIME.
Which makes the whole corrupt setup, A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.
I agree,
Owen.
How many times does it have to be said. The police are very clever. They can work out very quickly and before the evidence is in, who did it. From there it is a simple matter of building the case around the ‘guilty’ person.
Sarcasm of course.
The Lindy Chamberlain case did nothing to change matters.
The media are on the police side and certainly sold out on Lindy.
Lindy was saved by the very very fortunate discovery of the matinee jacket.
There is nothing magic to turn up and save Sue Neill-Fraser.
The only way to help Sue is to fund a civil case.
A player with unlimited funds Brian, do not call on the mums and dads.
Unlimited funds Brian, to take on the establishment in court to correct the injustice and bring justice to the perverts of power and law, and take the criminals off the street, convict them and lock them up. And one key witness is terrified. And I can understand that. GOD Bless her and protect her.
Owen.
Belated Merry Christmas to Wrongful Convictions, Andrew Urban, all contributors and victims and families of wrongful convictions.
JESUS LIVES and is coming back soon, do not give up.
Owen Allen.