2023-09-21 15:56:54
Oklahoma, USA
48 years wrongly imprisoned – Glynn Simmons is a free man
70-year-old Glynn Simmons has been behind bars for most of his life. Now a judge in Oklahoma has examined his case – and ultimately described it as unfair.
Published21. September 2023, 5:56 p.m
Glynn Simmons is a free man – after 48 years in prison.
20 minutes
The African American Glynn Simmons spent 48 years in prison – now he has been released.
His trial in 1974 was deemed unfair.
Among other things, the police had presented a witness at the time, whom the judge now described as “dubious”.
Glynn Simmons spent 48 years, five months and 13 days in an Oklahoma prison – now at the age of 70 finally a free man. The trial that led to Simmons’ conviction in 1974 was deemed unfair by a court Case officially dismissed.
Glynn Simmons was 22 when he was convicted of murder. He is said to have shot a saleswoman in the head while robbing a liquor store. The African American claimed to be innocent. In 1975, the black man received the death penalty, but this was commuted to life imprisonment in 1977 following a decision by the US Supreme Court.
Main witness described as “dubious”.
In April of this year, Oklahoma County prosecutors filed a motion to overturn Simmons’ conviction after a review of the case found that “certain police reports containing important information that was available at the time were not turned over to the defense.” In doing so, the court violated Simmons’ right to a fair trial.
Judge Amy Palumbo agreed with the prosecution. At the trial 48 years ago, the police presented, among other things, a key witness who Palumbo now described as “dubious”.
Simmons wants to fight for unjustly incarcerated African Americans
Simmons now wants to fight with his lawyers for “urgently needed changes in the justice system.” “We have to try to prevent what happened to Glynn from happening again,” lawyer Joseph M. Norwood told TV station KFOR. Justice must be equal for all people, emphasizes his colleague John Coyle. “It wasn’t always like this for black men in our country.”
“What happened to me should never happen to anyone else again.”
Glynn Simmons
According to official data from The Sentencing Project, 44 percent of people in Oklahoma prisons are black. The population share of PoCs in the entire US state is eight percent.
A happy man: Glynn Simmons hugs his family after being released from prison on September 20, 2023.
IMAGO/USA TODAY Network
He was wrongfully imprisoned in a prison in the US state of Oklahoma for 48 years, five months and 13 days.
GoFundMe
A picture from April 2023: Simmons is on the way to his hearing. Judge Amy Palumbo called his 1974 trial “unfair.”
IMAGO/USA TODAY Network
Simmons was sentenced to death for murder. In 1977, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment following a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
IMAGO/USA TODAY Network
Glynn Simmons is happy with his new freedom. With his release, he is the longest wrongfully incarcerated man recorded by the National Registry of Exonerations at the University of California Irvine.
“It’s exciting, it’s beautiful and I plan to enjoy the life I have left,” he said. He is currently collecting Gofundme Money to pay for his accommodation and medical care as he suffers from liver cancer. He will also use his remaining time “to help others who are still stuck where I was. What happened to me should never happen to anyone else again.”
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