An Oklahoma man said to have served the longest wrongful prison sentence in U.S. history has been formally declared innocent.
On Tuesday (December 19), Glynn Simmons was granted a declaration of “actual innocence” by Oklahoma County District Court Judge Amy Palumbo, per the Daily Beast.
The declaration comes six months after Simmons was released from prison. In the 1970s, Simmons was convicted of killing Carolyn Sue Rogers at an Oklahoma liquor store.
Simmons maintained that he didn’t commit the crime, citing that he was in Louisiana at the time of Rogers’ killing. However, a jury sided against Simmons and he was sentenced to death.
Nearly five decades later, Palumbo said there was “clear and convincing evidence” that Simmons didn’t commit the murder. Simmons received the declaration of innocence, which makes him eligible to be awarded up to $175,000 from the state for his wrongful conviction.
It could still be years before Simmons receives compensation, according to reports. Simmons is currently living off of money raised through a GoFundMe campaign as he battles cancer.
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