Louisiana's longest-serving death row prisoner walks free after 30 years

Glenn Ford, Louisiana's longest-serving death row prisoner, walked free Tuesday after spending nearly 30 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit.

According to the Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana, a judge ordered that Ford be freed Monday after prosecutors petitioned the court to release him.

New information corroborated what Ford had said all along: that he was not present at nor involved in the November 5, 1983, slaying of Isadore Rozeman, the project said.

They have argued his trial was compromised by the unconstitutional suppression of evidence and by inexperienced counsel.

Ford had been on death row since 1984, making him one of the longest-serving death row prisoners in the United States.

Louisiana's longest-serving death row prisoner walks free after 30 years

As some of you may know, I find the death penalty abhorrent and nothing less than a throwback to an age of barbarism that modern society has aspired to distance itself from. That being said, it is refreshing to hear good news like this - yet how many others are sitting on death row right now completely innocent yet their voice is not heard? And how many have already been wrongfully executed?

30 years, 26 on death row. I cannot even begin to imagine the despair this man felt when he was first convicted and sentenced to death knowing all the time he was innocent. No amount of compensation can make up for having the greater portion of your life ripped from you, and the spectre of death hanging over your head, for a crime you did not commit.

I simply can't imagine how that would feel.

Which is worse... His life wasted in there, or the real killer enjoying freedom at his expense?

Every system in america is broken. The justice system and the MIC among the worst.

I hope he gets a decent amount of compensation.

It's certainly a very good example of why the death penalty is wrong. How many folks have been killed when they have been innocent.

Wow. What a situation to be in. I can't imagine the hell he must have endured and the psychological scars after all this time. I wonder if he has any family or any support after all this time? I hope so, cause he is going to need a LOT of support. Also, imagine what he is going to have to get used to in today's world in general, as it is very different from 1983. A bit of a time warp I am sure.

cyberheater
I hope he gets a decent amount of compensation.

It's certainly a very good example of why the death penalty is wrong. How many folks have been killed when they have been innocent.

doubtful, it seems they had the foresight to limit any payout to 25k a year... which to me isn't NEARLY enough for the injustice here. poor bloke, he's missed most of his life being locked up... there isn't enough cash in the world to make up for the fact that he wasn't there to see his children grow. absolutely disgusting imo.

Being imprisoned is a life changer for all that walk through the door .Life on the inside would vary from one member to another .Lifer groups and individuals have a different sort of status then your common criminals .Seeing that being wrongly convicted doesn't give you different living quarters it requires you to adapt somewhat of a criminal mindset to live with the movie Shawshank Redemption was a good example of the society behind the walls . Being a lifer and on death row as a rule is a special status and are not harassed to the extent as others might be . I would think that he never lost hope of getting out but must have had some very hard times ....Him knowing how easy it is to loose your freedom will always linger in the back of his mind .It could just be that he met others that were wrongly convicted and will use his freedom and money (if any) to help some of those he may have met . I would think he must have said or will say at some point, "why" and for what purpose .

25,000 x 30 = 750,000

his lawyers will make out like bandits!

I'm sure they'll leave him cab fare.

Prime example why the death penalty is wrong and should be abolished.
No amount of money will give the guy his time back and I just hope he can cope with the outside world.
Good luck fella!.

reply to post by Kryties


You want to know how something like this feels? I kind of have a feeling. Lets just say....someone very close to me is now being accused of a 12 year old murder that they did not commit? Yes, I know how his feels. DNA cleared this person immediately after the murder in 2002...now all of a sudden, we have a incompetent, non mystery solving cold case unit about to get shut down...in a town/city you all have heard of. They even had their own reality show and I'm sure many of you saw it on TV.

So the out of state cold case detectives come out to another state to get new DNA samples (where supposed suspect lives) from this individual who's been on probation for a simple DEJ charge and living on his own fully employed with a union job which he's held for 20+ years making over $6500 a month (drug conversion with no conviction upon completion of said program) who has not one probation violation.

They (local sheriffs/detectives) go to said suspects house, arrest him for nothing. All the while, they tell suspect they're arresting him for a probation violation. Mind you, no violation was ever committed. Sheriffs, take suspect to a humongous lock up in one county, hold him there for over two weeks without ever seeing a judge. Transport him to another county (original charge was here) hold him another week, without ever seeing a judge. All of a sudden, some cold case detectives come in from across the US, to take new DNA samples in 2010 (when this all went down) that didn't match the murder weapon in 2002 or anything and a hand print that was transferred onto Saran Wrap 😡...hmmmm...not sounding kosher nor cool thus far to me, IMVHO!

Now, after getting off probation in one state and returning to the state where the 12 year old murder had occurred, he's now in jail again for a crime he had been cleared of due to DNA etc., in 2002, completely unaware there was a warrant for his arrest... especially, since he had been issued a new state drivers license. The same DNA that cleared him in 2002!!! However, as of 2010, the cold case division (which is all but dead in this particular town) now has this individual locked up based on "new DNA"!!! Really! How the hell does that work!

We all know DNA doesn't change from decade to decade...wtf? How does the DNA match now, but not 3 times in 2002?

This is very near to me...sorry, hope I didn't go off topic. I just know someone who's being accused of something they were cleared of via DNA. Now, the story changes! Really? Why?

How does this happen? Is it possible! If so, how?



Nice piece 👍

ladyteeny

cyberheater
I hope he gets a decent amount of compensation.

It's certainly a very good example of why the death penalty is wrong. How many folks have been killed when they have been innocent.

doubtful, it seems they had the foresight to limit any payout to 25k a year... which to me isn't NEARLY enough for the injustice here. poor bloke, he's missed most of his life being locked up... there isn't enough cash in the world to make up for the fact that he wasn't there to see his children grow. absolutely disgusting imo.

I have heard of limited payouts for certain circumstances but it seems Louisiana has their own set up:

A Louisiana law entitles those who have served time but are later exonerated to receive compensation.
It calls for payments of $25,000 per year of wrongful incarceration up to a maximum of $250,000, plus up to $80,000 for loss of 'life opportunities.'


Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk...
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Huh what? Up to maximum of $250,000 with 80k for "loss of life opportunities"

wtf.

Loss of 30 years of his damn life. The best 30 years you can have in your life. Just the psychological trauma alone is worth their measly sum, never mind the impact on family and loss of "life opportunities" (does that include the wages he could have earned over the years?).

sounds to me like the real killer(s) have pull
i have a wrongful conviction
after being convicted, the forensic report came back no analyzable substance found
cost the chief his job
wrote a song about the event which has caused people to buy me several thousand beers
over the years
the song is in a movie, which a brewery helped sponsor with two hundred cases of beer
i made a small amount of money from the movie...its pretty crappy...it only sold after i redid the soundtrack for them
i spent that on beer too

i still have to pay 1200 cad to get a pardon

the real culprit who caused all this embezzled enough money to buy 3 tim horton franchises
and they are not cheep
i was the first one to figure it out...was thinking out loud...next thing you know...

Danbones
sounds to me like the real killers have pull
i have a wrongfull conviction
after being covicted, the forensic report came back no anylizable substance found
cost the chief his job
wrote a song about the event which has caused people to buy me several thousand beers
over the years
the song is in a movie, which a brewery helped sponsor with two hundred cases of beer
i made a small amount of money from the movie...its pretty crappy...it only sold after i redid the soundtrack for them
i spent that on beer too

i still have to pay 1200 cad to get a pardon

the real culprt who caused all this embezzled enough money to buy 3 tim horton franchises
i was the first one to figure it out...was thinking out loud...next thing you know...

edit on Wedam3b20143America/Chicago48 by Danbones because: (no reason given)

If what you say is true...I'm so incredibly sorry for you 😢

I sincerely mean that.

reply to post by boncho


Mind you look at the guy who got done for murdering Jill Dando..Barry George.
Imprisoned for life did about 6 years and new evidence came up he got off and he didn't get a bean of compo...

reply to post by Danbones


Gonna watch that in a bit, just watched the first few mins lol.
Your a Star Dan!!!

reply to post by ThePublicEnemyNo1

lol
thanks, its not so bad
when people ask why i have a criminal record and i explain it they hire me right away
lol
but it turned out ok in the end
it all worked out sort of
i am labeled as a counter culture folk hero around here...

now you get a guy like Gerard Peltier
innocent and still in jail...or the people in gitmo...or the pot heads doin hard time
man i feel for them


this is a skynyrd song it says it best
i play a cover of it with a beer bottle
it kills

reply to post by boymonkey74


best part there is jail scene where the dumb ass farts, and his buddy knocks him out
thats the little slide guitar bit i wrote for my father who was a front line vet in ww2, when he passed
it got played around the world in the movie at least once
that made it all worth while right there

so if any one wonders why i suspect the whole system is totally fubar lol
there you have it


all my stuff was recorded in one night
also that was 1989,i like to think i have improved as a muzo a little since then...

boymonkey74
reply to post by boncho

 

Mind you look at the guy who got done for murdering Jill Dando..Barry George.
Imprisoned for life did about 6 years and new evidence came up he got off and he didn't get a bean of compo...

I am disgusted by lack of compensation.

Same with remand.

If you spend time behind bars for a crime you didnt do, be it on remand or as a conviction then you should get compensation.

reply to post by Kryties


Every time i hear someone say, "Our justice system isn't perfect, but its the best there is" i want to puke.

No, it isn't. Better justice exists among the aboriginal tribes of the world, who haven't built an entire economy around prisons.

This man, he lost his life. No, he didn't recieve death. But his life has been left behind him, all while he sat in a cell.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is done in your name, with your approval.