Man Wrongly Imprisoned For 25 Years Gets $10million As Compensation
In 1991, a Philadelphia man was sentenced to life in prison in the United States for killing his 77 year old neighbor, Louise Talley.
According to reports, Louise was raped and repeatedly stabbed at her home, and Anthony was indicted in the murder.
25 years later, Anthony has been released from jail, as he was found innocent of the crime, and will be paid $10 million as compensation.
Apparently, the conviction was reversed in 2014 after DNA evidence pointed to a former crack addict who died in a South Carolina prison.
Wright filed a federal lawsuit accusing police of writing a false confession and coercing him to sign it without reading it, and planting other evidence used to convict him. A statement from Wright said he will never get over the years spent in prison or missing time with his mother and growing son, but he was relieved he could get on with his life.
Wright has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the case.
“Although I will never get over the 25 years I spent in prison for crimes I did not commit, or missing time with my mother before she died or with my son the whole time he was growing up, I am relieved that I can now get on with my life,” he said in a statement.
“For the sake of my young grandchildren, I am encouraged that the City of Philadelphia will continue to take steps to make sure that what happened to me never happens to my grandchildren or any other child.”
A spokesman for District Attorney Larry Krasner, who took office in January, said the DA believes the decision to retry Wright “was unacceptable.”
“It is not a case that the current office would have retried,” Ben Waxman said.
“The city’s decision to be accountable for law enforcement misconduct while protecting public funds is commendable.”
Peter Neufeld, one of Wright’s attorneys and a founder of the Innocence Project, said: “Tony Wright, an innocent man, wrongfully charged and convicted, narrowly escaped execution when a divided jury declined to impose the death penalty. Mr. Wright maintained his innocence for 25 years and fought in the courts … to win the right to DNA testing. His steadfastness, his grace under fire, inspire us all.”
The settlement does not include an admission of liability and will be paid over time: $4 million by June 30; $3 million by Aug. 30; and $2.85 million by Aug. 30, 2019.
After the 2016 retrial ended in a not guilty verdict, jurors said they were disappointed that city prosecutors had decided in 2014 to retry the case.
“I’m angry,” Grace Greco, the jury forewoman, said after leaving the courtroom then. “The evidence was there that he did not commit this crime. The city should never have brought this case.”
