California Man Wins $21m Settlement For Being Wrongly Imprisoned For 40 Years

Mar 16, 2019 by apost team

Craig Coley was recently released from prison, after serving nearly forty years behind bars.

What makes his release so intriguing is the fact that it turns out he didn't commit the crime he was convicted of, meaning he served his entire sentence as an innocent man. Coley was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, as well as her son.

His conviction took place way back in 1980, well before DNA evidence was ever considered in court.

As it turns out, DNA evidence proved he was not the man responsible for the murders, which resulted in him being released from prison.

One of the most difficult things about these cases is the fact that the years behind bars can't be replaced. Craig Coley will never have that time back, although he is slated to get quite a bit of money as compensation.

He will reportedly receive just over twenty million dollars, which should at least make the rest of his life a lot more comfortable. The city will end up paying about five million of the money due to Coley, while insurance will pay the rest of his settlement.

apost.com

There were a ton of inconsistencies in his original case, which ended up resulting in detectives taking a second look. After utilizing DNA evidence recovered at the scene, Coley was proven to be innocent of the heinous crimes he was convicted of.

There is no denying the fact that the justice system needs to be worked on, as these types of cases are truly horrifying. Most people can't imagine having to sit behind bars for a crime that they did not commit, but this is a reality that Craig Coley had to face every single day.

"I went four decades not being able to grieve the woman and child I loved.", Craig told the Inside Edition

To make matters worse, there are tons of innocent people that have been convicted of crimes, who are still sitting in prison right now.

Luckily, DNA evidence is proving to be crucial when it comes to overturning prior convictions. There are now several programs, such as the Innocence Project, that are focused on revisiting old cases, where people may have been convicted under shady circumstances.

The ability to use DNA evidence to overturn these false convictions is powerful. If you know someone that has been falsely convicted of a crime, there is now hope that justice can be restored. No one deserves to sit in jail for a crime they didn't commit, which is why it is so great that these types of cases are being reconsidered in court.

What did you think of this story? Do you think $21 million is enough to make up for all those lost years? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!