A man was mistakenly sent to prison for 50 years: he got out and became a millionaire (3 photos)
Glynn Ray Simmons has been exonerated because there was "clear and convincing evidence" that he did not commit the crime. 
71-year-old Glynn Ray Simmons received $7.15 million in compensation for nearly 50 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The innocent man spent 48 years, 1 month and 18 days behind bars - a record in the United States. The Edmond City Council decided to pay him financial compensation for his suffering.
"Simmons was punished for a crime he did not commit. While that time can never be returned, the decision he made allows him to start his life over," says attorney Elizabeth Wang.
In 1975, Simmons' life changed forever when he and his alleged "accomplice" Don Roberts were charged with robbing a liquor store and killing the clerk. Glynn maintained his innocence, arguing that the police had falsified their investigation report. In addition, prosecutors allegedly concealed evidence during the trial.
However, the jury did not believe the defendant: the court sentenced both men to death, and only two years later the U.S. Supreme Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. 
Don Roberts was paroled in 2008, but Simmons remained behind bars and was released from prison only in July 2023 after a judge overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial.
In December 2023, Glynn was finally exonerated because there was "clear and convincing evidence" that he did not commit the crime. The former inmate has already received an initial settlement of $175,000 from the state of Oklahoma. 
