NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — In a landmark decision, a federal jury in Chicago awarded $50 million (J$7.7 billion) in damages to Marcel Brown, a man who spent nearly a decade in prison due to a wrongful murder conviction, his lawyers announced Tuesday.
Brown, who is now 34 years old, was originally arrested and sentenced to 35 years in prison for allegedly being an accomplice in the 2008 murder of a 19-year-old man. However, in 2018, his case was dismissed and he was released after new evidence demonstrated that his confession had been unlawfully obtained.
According to the law firm representing him, Loevy & Loevy, the large sum represents the largest award ever given to a single wrongful-conviction plaintiff in US history.
The firm stated, “Chicago police officers locked [Brown] in an interrogation room for more than 30 hours, interrogated him relentlessly, deprived him of food, denied his repeated requests for a phone call, and prevented him from sleeping.” This brutal treatment led the jury to unanimously agree with Brown’s defense team that the police had coerced his statement and fabricated evidence against him.
After a grueling two-week trial, the jury awarded Brown $10 million (J$1.5 billion) in compensatory damages for the period between his arrest and conviction, and an additional $40 million (J$6.2 billion) to compensate for his time in prison and the subsequent hardships he faced after his release.
Outside the courthouse, an emotional Brown declared, “Justice was finally served for me and my family today.” His statement reflects the immense relief and vindication he felt following the unanimous jury decision.
The decision sends a powerful message regarding the consequences of unlawful policing and the importance of safeguarding individual rights within the criminal justice system.
This historic ruling not only provides long-overdue justice to Marcel Brown, but also shines a spotlight on the critical need for reforms to prevent such miscarriages of justice in the future.
