“After spending nearly half a century behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, Glynn Simmons, now 71, finally receives justice with a $7.15 million settlement.
Glynn Simmons, a man who spent 48 long years in prison for a murder he did not commit, has been awarded over $7 million in compensation. On August 12, the Edmond City Council in Oklahoma agreed to a settlement of $7.15 million, bringing a resolution to the legal battle that has been ongoing since Simmons was exonerated in December 2023.
Simmons, who was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder at the age of 22, had been sentenced to death in 1975 for the shooting of a liquor store clerk in Edmond. However, in 1978, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, where he remained for over four decades. It wasn’t until July 2023 that he was released from prison, and in December of the same year, a judge declared there was “clear and convincing evidence” that Simmons was not the killer.
The story of Glynn Simmons is one of the most tragic miscarriages of justice in American history, making him the longest-serving wrongfully convicted inmate in the country. The lawsuit filed by Simmons earlier this year accused the police of fabricating evidence and concealing his innocence, leading to his wrongful conviction. According to Simmons, crucial evidence that could have proven his innocence was deliberately hidden by law enforcement.
The tragic events began in 1974, when a liquor store in Edmond was robbed, and a clerk named Carolyn Sue Rogers was shot dead. Simmons and another man, Don Roberts, were accused of the crime based on the testimony of a female customer who survived being shot in the head during the robbery. Simmons and Roberts were both convicted, despite Simmons maintaining that he was in Harvey, Louisiana, with family and friends at the time of the crime.
The lawsuit claims that police manipulated the surviving witness into identifying Simmons and Roberts as the perpetrators, despite her initial “vague and unhelpful” descriptions. This manipulation, along with false police reports, led to Simmons’ conviction and his subsequent 48 years of wrongful imprisonment.
In 2023, new evidence and persistent legal battles finally led to Simmons’ exoneration. The recent settlement with the city of Edmond is a step towards justice, but Simmons continues to pursue legal action against Oklahoma City and a detective involved in the original investigation.
On August 14, Simmons’ attorney, John W. Coyle III, stated that his client plans to use the settlement money to support his family and “do good things.” Simmons, who now works as a food truck driver, has a son and extended family living in Louisiana.
While Don Roberts was granted clemency after serving 25 years, he has not been officially declared innocent. Roberts is currently seeking a review of his case in hopes of clearing his name.
