Man wrongfully jailed for 22 years awarded GHC147m compensation for 'wasted years'
- In 1994, Eddie Bolden, now aged 51, was convicted for the killing of two people in Chicago, US
- However, it was later established that he was wrongfully imprisoned after he served 22 years in jail
- Bolden was freed in 2016 and sued Chicago, and a jury ordered the city to pay him KSh 2.7 billion
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A man who spent 22 years in jail for a crime he did not commit finally has a reason to smile.
Source: UGC
US national Eddie Bolden, wrongfully convicted in 1994 for a double murder, received a massive pay-out from a jury.
The jury awarded him more than GHC147 million in damages after he sued the city of Chicago and two police detectives, the Chicago Sun Time reports.
Bolden was set free in 2016, two years after a court established that his trial attorney was ineffective.
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He received a certificate of innocence that allowed him to get paid for his time behind bars.
Jury’s ruling
In a landmark ruling, the jury ordered the city of Chicago to pay Bolden KSh 2.7 billion in compensation, and the two detectives ordered to pay him KSh 1.1 million.
In his lawsuit, Bolden claimed he was framed for killing 23-year-old Irving Clayton and 24-year-old Derrick Frazier.
Bolden's lawyer argued that police had no evidence his client was involved in a drug deal that resulted in the killings.
He further accused them of racially profiling him.
“I think the jury recognized that he was victimized by a system that unfortunately has victimized people for too long, and they want it to stop,” the lawyer said.
City to appeal the ruling
Following the jury's decision, a spokesperson said the city is reviewing the verdict and assessing their legal options.
Speaking after the jury's decision, an emotional Bolden said:
“Finally. It’s all I can say right now.”
Wrongfully jailed man dies
YEN.com.gh previously reported that a man wrongfully jailed for 16 years died of Covid-19 after being released from prison.
Damon Thibodeaux passed away nine years after he was acquitted of murder charges.
His brother said Damon was not bitter and prayed to forgive those who jailed him.
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Edwin Lamptey Edwin’s goal is to drive YEN’s entertainment desk to become the go-to location for authentic entertainment news in Ghana and the reference point for viral foreign entertainment news. He will seek to entertain and say it as it is! He holds a degree in English, History and Religion and Human Values from the University of Cape Coast.
Aba Afful (Copyeditor) Maame Aba serves as a copy editor at YEN.com.gh. She naturally enjoys working with words and has an eye for quality content. She has a keen interest in cyberspace and wants to see YEN.com.gh produce more impactful, thought-provoking, and error-free content. Aba has five years of experience as a content writer, blogger, author, and proofreader. She graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2017. She joined the team in 2021.
