Oklahoma City to pay $7 million to death row inmate freed after 50 years

Edmund, Oklahoma — The city of Edmond has reached a significant settlement worth over $7 million with Glynn Ray Simmons, a former death row inmate who was exonerated after nearly five decades behind bars. This case marks Simmons as the longest-serving inmate in U.S. history to be declared innocent of a crime.

On Monday, the Edmond City Council voted unanimously to settle Simmons’ lawsuit against the city and a former police detective for the total amount of $7.15 million.

Attorney Elizabeth Wang, representing Simmons, stated, “Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. Although he will never get that time back, this settlement with Edmond will allow him to move forward” with his life.

At the time of his conviction, Simmons was just 22 years old, as reported by CBS Oklahoma City affiliate KWTV.

The lawsuit also targets Oklahoma City and a retired police detective involved in the investigation of the robbery and shooting that led to Simmons’ wrongful conviction. Those claims remain unresolved and are still pending despite the settlement reached with Edmond.

Wang expressed her optimism, saying, “We are very much looking forward to holding them accountable at trial in March,” according to KWTV’s coverage.

A spokesperson for Oklahoma City opted not to comment on the ongoing litigation when approached for remarks.

Details of the lawsuit reveal serious allegations against the police. It claims that law enforcement officers falsified reports stating that a wounded witness had identified Simmons and his co-defendant, Don Roberts, as the perpetrators of the robbery and shooting incident involving the liquor store clerk. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that evidence was withheld indicating that the witness had actually pointed out two other individuals as the suspects.

After spending 48 years, one month, and 18 days in prison, Simmons was finally released in July 2023. A judge vacated his conviction and ordered a new trial.

In September, District Attorney Vickie Behenna announced that she would not pursue a retrial due to a lack of physical evidence against Simmons.

By December, Simmons was officially exonerated; a judge acknowledged “clear and convincing evidence” of his innocence and he has also received $175,000 from the state of Oklahoma for his wrongful conviction.

Throughout his imprisonment, Simmons consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he was in Louisiana at the time of the crime. He and Roberts faced conviction for the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers, the liquor store clerk, and were sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment in 1977 following U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding the death penalty. Roberts was paroled in 2008.