An African American man who spent nearly
40 years behind bars in the US state of Ohio
for a murder he did not commit will receive
$1 million from the state for his wrongful
imprisonment.
On Thursday, an Ohio Court of Claims judge
ordered that just more than $1 million be
paid to Ricky Jackson.
Jackson said he learnt about the payment
from a reporter who had called him on
Thursday afternoon to get his reaction over
the court order.
“Wow, I didn’t know that,” Jackson said.
“Wow wow wow, that’s fantastic, man. I
don’t even know what to say. This is going
to mean so much.”
Michele Berry, his attorney from the
Innocence Project, said a financial advisor
will help Jackson to handle the money in the
wisest way. After hearing the news of the
court order, Berry became emotional and
expressed her appreciation for all that the
innocent black man went through.
“It’s been an honor to work for and with
Ricky,” she said. “He’s probably the wisest
person I’ve ever met.”
In November, Jackson, 57, and Wiley
Bridgeman, 60, were both exonerated in a
1975 murder after a key witness against
them, who was 13 years old at the time,
admitted in 2013 that he lied during his
testimony.
Eddie Vernon, now 53, told a minister who
visited him at a hospital in 2013 that he had
never actually witnessed the crime. He said
Cleveland police detectives coerced him into
testifying that the men killed businessman
Harry Franks on May 19, 1975. The Ohio
Innocence Project, which took up their case,
said Jackson and Bridgeman’s 39 years
imprisonment mark them as the longest-
serving exonerees in US history.
According to a study released in April, one in
every 25 death row inmates in the United
States is innocent. Approximately 3,000 US
prisoners are waiting to be put to
death. African Americans are also far more
likely to be arrested and imprisoned by
police than any other racial group, according
to a recent analysis by USA TODAY.
Experts say the dramatic gap in arrest and
prison rates reflects biased policing as well
as the vast economic and educational
inequalities that plague much of the US.

Source: www.gq234.com/us-court-awards-african-man-1-million-for-spending-40-years-in-jail-for-a-murder-he-did-not-commit/

40years in prison?

He should be paid 1 mill for every year he served jor. Wrongful imprisonment is not a child's play