Newsbytes
  • India
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Entertainment
  • Auto
  • Lifestyle
  • Inspirational
  • Career
  • Bengaluru
  • Delhi
  • Mumbai
  • Videos
  • Phone Reviews
  • Find Cricket Statistics
Hindi
More
Newsbytes
Hindi
Newsbytes
User Placeholder

Hi,

Logout


India
Business
World
Politics
Sports
Science
Entertainment
Auto
Lifestyle
Inspirational
Career
Bengaluru
Delhi
Mumbai
Videos
Phone Reviews
Find Cricket Statistics

More Links
  • Videos

Download Android App

Follow us on
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
 
Home / News / World News / Man spent 39-years for wrongful imprisonment, to get Rs. 149cr
  • World

    Man spent 39-years for wrongful imprisonment, to get Rs. 149cr

    Garima Bora
    Written by
    Garima Bora
    Mail
    Last updated on Feb 27, 2019, 07:17 pm
    Man spent 39-years for wrongful imprisonment, to get Rs. 149cr
  • In a much long-awaited relief, a man in the US, who was wrongly convicted 39 years ago for a double murder he didn't commit, will now receive $21 million or Rs. 149 crore for his wrongful incarceration.

    Authorities in Simi Valley, California, confirmed the settlement for Craig Coley recently and said that 39 years is the "longest prison term overturned in California."

    Here's more.

  • In this article
    In 1978, Coley's girlfriend and her son were found murdered Neighbor saw Coley's truck parked outside Wicht's house, informed police A child's t-shirt, bloody towel were found in Coley's home In 1989, detective started re-investigating Coley's case believing his innocence New investigation: Coley's DNA not found in child's T-shirt, bedsheet In 2017, Coley was pardoned by the state governor 'No amount can make up to what happened to Coley'
  • Murder

    In 1978, Coley's girlfriend and her son were found murdered

    In 1978, Coley's girlfriend and her son were found murdered
  • On November 11, 1978, Rhonda Wicht, 24, and her 4-year-old son, Donald, were found murdered.

    Wicht was raped and strangled with a macrame-cord and Donald was smothered.

    The killer made it look like a burglary.

    At that time, Coley was in a relationship with Wicht but was about to break up.

    He managed a restaurant and his father was a retired Los Angeles detective.

  • Police

    Neighbor saw Coley's truck parked outside Wicht's house, informed police

    Neighbor saw Coley's truck parked outside Wicht's house, informed police
  • Police were alerted by the neighbors, who said they heard some trouble around 5:30 am that morning.

    One of the neighbors informed them that she saw Coley's truck parked outside Wicht's house.

    However, Coley, then 31, told police that he was in the restaurant until 4:30 am after which he dropped a friend home at 4:45 am.

    Thereafter, he went back to his home.

  • Evidence

    A child's t-shirt, bloody towel were found in Coley's home

    A child's t-shirt, bloody towel were found in Coley's home
  • Coley's home was searched and police found a bloody towel and a child's T-shirt.

    They believed that the towel was used in the murders and charged Coley with first-degree murder.

    During the trial, a doctor told jurors that Coley had many injuries, one of them being an abrasion on the penis.

    Coley had been denying committing the murders for the last four decades.

  • Re-investigation

    In 1989, detective started re-investigating Coley's case believing his innocence

    In 1989, detective started re-investigating Coley's case believing his innocence
    Credits:
  • Further, even Coley's co-workers backed him that he was at the restaurant at the time of murder.

    The first trial was declared a mistrial and in the second trial, Coley was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

    In 1989, Simi Valley police detective, Michael Bender, looked at Coley's file and was convinced that he wasn't the murderer.

    He started to re-investigate the case.

  • Results

    New investigation: Coley's DNA not found in child's T-shirt, bedsheet

    New investigation: Coley's DNA not found in child's T-shirt, bedsheet
  • The old investigation had loopholes, such as missing evidence by another detective and the absence of DNA testing during original trial.

    In the renewed investigation, DNA testing was done, and Coley's DNA was neither found on the sheet on which Wicht's body was discovered nor on her son's T-shirt, which proved Coley's innocence.

    The sheet had sperm and possible saliva of an unidentified man.

  • Pardon

    In 2017, Coley was pardoned by the state governor

    In 2017, Coley was pardoned by the state governor
  • On November 20, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown eventually pardoned Coley and a week later he was declared innocent.

    In February 2018, Coley was awarded $2 million (Rs. 14 crore) by the California Victims Compensation Board for his wrongful imprisonment, $140 or Rs. 9,968 for 13,991 days each.

    Last week, he received a $21 million (Rs. 149 crore) settlement from Simi Valley.

  • Quote

    'No amount can make up to what happened to Coley'

  • City Manager, Eric Levitt, said in a statement last week, "While no amount of money can make up for what happened to Mr. Coley, settling this case is the right thing to do for Mr. Coley and our community."

  • DNA
  • California
  • Los Angeles
  • Murder
  • United States of America
  •  
Latest News
  • As Delhi's lockdown begins, thousands of migrant workers head home
    As Delhi's lockdown begins, thousands of migrant workers head home
    India
  • Taylor Swift reclaims Billboard top spot with 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)'
    Taylor Swift reclaims Billboard top spot with 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)'
    Entertainment
  • NewsBytes Briefing: Domino's leaks all your data, and more
    NewsBytes Briefing: Domino's leaks all your data, and more
    Science
  • #HealthBytes: Few reasons you should regularly go for morning walks
    #HealthBytes: Few reasons you should regularly go for morning walks
    Lifestyle
  • Ahead of launch, Vivo V21 5G's key specifications leaked
    Ahead of launch, Vivo V21 5G's key specifications leaked
    Science
Related Timelines
  • After 20 years in prison, UP man acquitted of rape
    After 20 years in prison, UP man acquitted of rape
    India
  • How the George Floyd case sparked violent protests across US
    How the George Floyd case sparked violent protests across US
    World
Trending Topics
Coronavirus
Next News Article
Share
Cancel

Want to share it with your friends too?

Facebook Whatsapp Twitter Linkedin
Copied

Love World news?

Subscribe to stay updated.

World Thumbnail
India News Business News World News Politics News Sports News Science News Entertainment News Auto News Lifestyle News Inspirational News
Career News Bengaluru News Delhi News Mumbai News Bharti Airtel Mukesh Ambani Indian Premier League Samsung Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma
Cricket News YouTube Hollywood News WhatsApp Bollywood News ISRO Spotify SpaceX Yoga Honda
Batman Football News BMW Vaccine Reliance Jio OPPO Food News, Healthy Recipes Apple Royal Challengers Bangalore Toyota
Fashion Tips Mercedes Sidharth Malhotra Isha Ambani India Vs England Cricket OnePlus Mobiles Android TV Smart TV Marvel Comics Avengers
Delhi Capitals Neha Kakkar X-Men TATA
About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us News Reviews News Archive Topics Archive Find Cricket Statistics
Follow us on
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Youtube
All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2021