American Wrongfully Imprisoned for 44 Years to Receive $25 Million

Ronnie Long, an American man wrongfully convicted, will receive $25 million in compensation for over 44 years of imprisonment, NBC News reports.

The resident of North Carolina, a Black man, was found guilty of raping a white woman and spent 44 years in prison before being exonerated more than three years ago. He has been awarded a historic $25 million settlement.

According to the radio station, Long was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 1976 at the age of 21 for the alleged crime. The false conviction was overturned in August 2020.

Long's attorneys said there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. Furthermore, evidence was found at the crime scene that could have initially exonerated him.