Record-Breaking Justice: Historic $48 Million Settlement for 3 Innocent Men Wrongfully Imprisoned for 36 Years in Baltimore
Baltimore to compensate 3 men wrongly imprisoned for 36 years with $48 million settlement after being convicted as teenagers for a murder they did not commit
Baltimore has agreed to compensate three men, who were wrongly convicted of murder as teenagers and served 36 years in prison, with a sum of $48 million.
"These individuals were incarcerated during their teenage years and emerged from prison in their 50s as young grandfathers," stated Justin Conroy, Baltimore Police Department's chief legal counsel, during the presentation to the city's Board of Estimates. The panel granted approval for the payment on Wednesday.
Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins, and Andrew Stewart, who filed a federal lawsuit after their release, were only 16 years old when they were arrested on Thanksgiving Day in 1983. The charges against them were related to the murder of 14-year-old DeWitt Duckett, who was allegedly killed for his jacket while at school. Following their conviction for first-degree murder, they were sentenced to life in prison.
Mary Stewart, left, walks with her son, Andrew Stewart and her daughter, Ulonda Stewart, after his release.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images
However, they were eventually exonerated years later following Chestnut's public records request. After uncovering new evidence that had been withheld from his defense team, Chestnut reached out to Baltimores Conviction Integrity Unit, the entity responsible for reevaluating past convictions.
According to the trio's lawsuit filed in 2020, investigators disregarded both eyewitness and physical evidence that contradicted their preconceived narrative. Furthermore, they manipulated the evidence to implicate the plaintiffs, even going as far as coercing false testimony from young witnesses.
The suit stated that a person identified as "John Doe," who was responsible for killing DeWitt and escaping the school wearing his jacket, had died.
According to the suit, on November 25, 2019, just three days prior to Thanksgiving Day, a judge approved the writ of actual innocence, which had been filed jointly by the Plaintiffs and the State of Maryland, leading to their prompt release.
Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby claimed that there had been deliberate hiding and distortion of evidence that could have proved the defendants' innocence, indicating the involvement of someone other than them. Upon their release, she expressed her remorse to the men and made a commitment to pursue reforms to prevent wrongful convictions.
The Board of Estimates on Wednesday approved the lawsuit settlement 5-0.
The three men had no comment, one of their attorneys told CNN on Friday.
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Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
The highest court in Maryland has blocked the reinstatement of Adnan Syed's conviction in the infamous 'Serial' podcast case. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, delivering a statement during the meeting, emphasized that such settlements highlight severe injustices faced by residents and stressed the families involved should receive compensation.
"Our city is currently facing the consequences of the previous wrongdoings committed by officers of the Baltimore Police Department, for which we will be financially responsible in 2023," Scott expressed. "This is an unfortunate but necessary step in rectifying the injustices of our troubled past."
In a statement released on WBAL-TV.com, City Council President Nick Mosby, who also serves as the chair of the Board of Estimates, expressed solidarity with Alfred Chestnut, Andrew Stewart, Ransom Watkins, and their families.
No reparation can ever adequately heal the mental and emotional suffering inflicted upon these blameless men and their families. The injustices endured over 36 years, along with the lasting impact on their well-being, their loved ones, and the communities involved, cannot be rectified regardless of any monetary compensation.
