The settlement, which ends Ronnie Long’s wrongful incarceration lawsuit, also included a public apology from the city of Concord for its role in his imprisonment.
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — A man wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 44 years has reached a $25 million combined settlement with a central
As part of the settlement, Long also received $3 million from the State Bureau of Investigation “as a result of the SBI’s role in hiding evidence from Mr. Long and his legal team that proved his innocence,” a news release from his attorneys in the lawsuit said. An SBI spokesperson didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to an email and text seeking comment.
The city of Concord also said Tuesday it “acknowledges and accepts responsibility for the significant errors in judgment and willful misconduct by previous city employees that led to Long’s wrongful conviction and imprisonment.”
While Long’s attorneys described the monetary payments as one of the largest wrongful conviction settlements nationwide, they said the city’s statement was extremely important to their client.
“This result speaks to the magnitude of injustice that occurred in Mr. Long’s case,” said Chris Olson, one of his lawyers in the lawsuit, adding the “apology goes a long way in helping Mr. Long heal.”
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