Man Gets $25 Million Settlement After 44 Years Of Wrongful Imprisonment

Justice at Last: After decades behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, a man finally receives compensation.

Davy

• Published in Interesting
• February 24, 2024

After enduring 44 years of wrongful imprisonment, a man has reached a groundbreaking $25 million settlement in recognition of the miscarriage of justice he suffered. This remarkable resolution marks a long-awaited vindication for the individual who spent nearly half a century behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

After enduring 44 years of wrongful imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit, Ronnie Long has reached a monumental $25 million settlement in his lawsuit against state and local law enforcement officials in North Carolina.

The settlement also included a formal apology to Long from the Concord City Council, recognizing the "significant errors in judgment and willful misconduct" that led to his wrongful conviction and decades-long incarceration.

In their statement, the council expressed deep remorse for the injustices inflicted upon Long, his family, and the community, acknowledging the immense harm caused by the wrongful conviction.

The statement released by the Concord City Council emphasized the profound injustice suffered by Ronnie Long, who endured over four decades of wrongful imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. His wrongful conviction resulted in the loss of 44 years, 3 months, and 17 days of his life, a loss that the council acknowledged could never be fully restored.

Despite this, the council expressed their commitment to rectifying the past wrongs and taking responsibility for the egregious miscarriage of justice. Long's insistence on a public apology, along with the monetary settlement, underscores the importance of clearing his name and his family's name from any association with the crime he was wrongfully convicted of.

According to Jamie T. Lau, one of Long's lawyers, the $25 million settlement, with $22 million from the city and $3 million from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, represents a significant step towards acknowledging and addressing the grave injustices suffered by Long and his family.

In 1976, Ronnie Long, then a 21-year-old cement mason with a young son, found himself convicted of a heinous crime he did not commit. The incident involved the alleged rape of a 54-year-old woman in Concord, North Carolina, where Long resided.

Despite the lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime, Long was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences. According to his legal representatives, the pressure on Concord police to solve the case was intense, fueled in part by the victim's association with a local textile company, Cannon Mills.

The company had offered a substantial reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Crucially, the victim's identification of Long as her assailant occurred under highly questionable circumstances.

She reportedly made the identification only after being brought into a courtroom disguised in a wig and glasses, while Long faced an unrelated charge of trespassing. This suggestive procedure, condemned by Long's lawyers, cast serious doubt on the integrity of the identification process.

During Ronnie Long's trial, critical evidence that could have exonerated him was reportedly withheld from his defense attorneys. This evidence included hair and over 40 fingerprints recovered from the crime scene that did not match Long's, according to a lawsuit he filed against the city in 2021.

Moreover, Long's legal team alleged that the jury selection process was tainted by racial bias. They claimed that officials, including the sheriff and police chief, personally screened potential jurors to exclude individuals they deemed undesirable.

As a result, the jury pool predominantly comprised white individuals, with only four Black prospective jurors out of 99, none of whom were ultimately seated for Long's trial. This alleged manipulation of the jury composition raised serious concerns about the fairness of the proceedings, particularly given Long's status as a Black man accused of a crime against a white victim.

Ronnie Long's case is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices that have plagued the American criminal justice system. In 1976, Long, a Black man, was wrongfully convicted of raping a white woman in Concord, North Carolina. Despite a lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime, Long was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences.

The circumstances surrounding Long's conviction are deeply troubling. The pressure to solve the case, coupled with racial biases and procedural irregularities, led to a gross miscarriage of justice. The victim's identification of Long was tainted by suggestive police tactics, and crucial evidence that could have exonerated him was withheld from his defense.

Moreover, the composition of the jury further exacerbated the injustice. The deliberate exclusion of Black individuals from the jury pool and the presence of jurors with ties to a company connected to the victim's family raise serious concerns about impartiality and fairness.

After more than four decades of fighting to clear his name, Long's perseverance finally paid off. In August 2020, a federal appeals court overturned his conviction, citing violations of his due process rights. This landmark decision marked the beginning of Long's journey to reclaim his freedom and seek accountability for the grave injustices he endured.

Following Gov. Roy Cooper's pardon in December 2020, Ronnie Long was granted $750,000 from the state of North Carolina, a small semblance of justice after decades of wrongful imprisonment. With this compensation, Long and his wife, Ashley Long, purchased a home, a significant milestone in their journey together.

However, no amount of financial restitution can restore the years of life Long lost behind bars, nor can it bring back precious moments with loved ones, including his parents, who passed away while he was incarcerated. As Long and his wife approach their 10th wedding anniversary, they navigate the bittersweet reality of newfound freedom tainted by the irreversible toll of injustice.

The $25 million settlement reached in Ronnie Long's case represents a significant step towards justice after 44 years of wrongful imprisonment. It acknowledges the profound injustice he endured and provides a measure of financial security as he moves forward.

Despite the scars of his wrongful imprisonment, Long's resilience and determination offer hope and inspiration to others who have faced similar injustices.

Davy