Willie Stokes, a Black man from Philadelphia who has spent the last 37 years in prison for murder, is now free, according to NPR.
The primary witness in the investigation, Franklin Lee, was allegedly offered sex and drugs by detectives in exchange for false witness testimony in 1983.
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Wrongfully accused Black men is nothing new and false witness testimony is the cause of many wrongful convictions, but it has also resulted in the freeing of dozens of Black men in the past year.
Per the story from NPR, a few days after Stokes was convicted of the 1984 murder of Leslie Campbell, Lee was charged with perjury. But, Stokes did not learn about the perjury plea until 2015, 31 years into his life sentence.
Stokes, 61, walked out of a state prison near Philadelphia eager to get a hug from his mother and a corned beef hoagie. His mother was too nervous to come after several earlier disappointments, so he greeted other family members instead.
“Today is a tremendous day. We’re all very thankful,” said his lawyer, Michael Diamondstein. “However, it’s also a sad day, because it reminds us of how lawless, unfair and unjust Philadelphia law enforcement was for so long.”
Source: After Spending 37 Years in Prison, A Philadelphia Man is Free
