After 48 Years in Jail for a Crime He Didn't Commit, Oklahoma Man Gets Only $175,000

• Glynn Simmons, 71, was exonerated after serving 48 years in prison for a 1975 murder, marking the longest wrongful sentence in U.S. history.
• Despite his exoneration, Simmons is eligible for only $175,000 in compensation from the state.
• Currently battling cancer, Simmons relies on a GoFundMe campaign for his expenses, having raised $37,000 so far.

Glynn Simmons, now 71 years old, has been cleared of a murder charge from 1975 after spending 48 years in prison, the longest wrongful sentence in United States history.

This exoneration comes after a prolonged struggle for justice, which has recently culminated in his release. Simmons has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming he was in Louisiana when Carolyn Sue Rogers, a clerk, was fatally shot in an Oklahoma liquor store.

Photo by@GoFundMe/dailymail.co

The case against Simmons was largely based on the testimony of a key witness who initially identified him in a lineup but later contradicted parts of her testimony. Despite a dozen others testifying that Simmons was in Louisiana at the time of the murder, he was convicted in 1975 and originally sentenced to death. This sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment following Supreme Court rulings.

New developments in the case emerged when District Attorney Vicki Behenna acknowledged that significant evidence was not disclosed to Simmons' defense team, leading to a re-evaluation of the case. This included a police report indicating that the eyewitness had identified several other suspects in multiple lineups before finally settling on Simmons and co-defendant Don Roberts. The absence of physical evidence at the crime scene further complicated the case.

After years of maintaining his innocence, Simmons' situation was revisited, and a new trial was ordered. However, the District Attorney's office eventually decided not to retry him, citing the lack of physical evidence. As a result, Simmons was declared eligible for up to $175,000 in state compensation for wrongful conviction. This amount, however, is expected to be received after a considerable delay, and in the meantime, Simmons is dependent on a GoFundMe campaign to meet his living and medical expenses, especially for his ongoing liver cancer treatment. The campaign has raised over $37,000 with a target of $50,000.

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