Edmond to Pay $7.15M to Exonerated Inmate

Glynn Simmons, a 71-year-old Black man who spent nearly 50 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, will receive a $7.15 million settlement from Edmond, Oklahoma. Simmons and his co-defendant Don Roberts were wrongfully convicted in 1975 based on false testimony and fabricated evidence. Simmons was released in July 2023 after a judge overturned his conviction, and he was officially exonerated in December. The settlement resolves claims against Edmond and a police detective involved in the case, but separate claims against Oklahoma City and another detective remain pending. Despite the financial compensation, Simmons' attorney Elizabeth Wang stated that no amount of money can compensate for the decades lost. Simmons holds the record for serving the longest time before being exonerated in U.S. history.