CLEVELAND — State officials have approved a payment in the amount of $767,445 to Charles Jackson after a judge ruled in 2019 that he was wrongfully imprisoned in 1991.
The Ohio Innocence Project found evidence showing that Jackson's murder conviction was based on testimony from two witnesses and no other evidence.
After reviewing the new evidence, Judge Kathleen Sutula completely dismissed Jackson's charges. Jackson was serving an indefinite sentence in connection with a murder and attempted murder conviction in 1991.
“I don’t think there is any judge that would ever want to imprison an innocent person,” Judge Sutula said as she announced her decision. “Since [the judge that presided over Jackson’s 1991 conviction] is not here to say he’s sorry, I’ll say it for him.”
The State of Ohio approved the payment stating it is for damages resulting from Jackson's wrongful imprisonment by the State of Ohio for a total of 9,843 days.
Jackson had this to say when his charges were dismissed in 2019:
“I’m relieved. All these years to be labeled as a monster and to live through that and to feel shame and humiliation and now to be totally exonerated, it feels good, I don’t think [the state] could ever make it right. But compensation is a good start immediately to get my life going and to take care of my family and to move on and put this behind me.”
RELATED: Cleveland man declared to be wrongfully imprisoned for 1991 killing
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