Philadelphia man cleared after 37 years in prison, sues city

Published January 27, 2022 9:37 AM

By MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia man freed after 37 years in prison in a case tainted by perjured testimony accused the city of “outrageous police misconduct” in a lawsuit filed Thursday, the same day his case was dismissed. Willie Stokes left prison this month after a federal judge overturned his 1984 murder conviction. At a court hearing Thursday, city prosecutors said they would not retry him. Stokes’ lawyers say that prosecutors at the time never disclosed they had charged his chief accuser with perjury after the trial. The 60-year-old Stokes says he is not bitter and is ‘just excited to move forward’ with his life.

Article Topic Follows: AP National News

Jump to comments ↓

Associated Press

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.