Wu-Tang Clan affiliate, Grant Williams was awarded a $7M settlement after 23 years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit. Per The Hill, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander announced the award on Monday (May 23).
After his exoneration last July for the 1996 murder of Shdell Lewis, Williams filed a claim against New York City. The claim alleged that Williams was subjected to police misconduct and civil rights violations.
"While no amount of money can bring those years back for Mr. Williams or his family, I am pleased that we were able to move quickly to a fair and early resolution of this claim," Lander said in a statement. The early resolution of this claim is in the best interests of all parties and city taxpayers."
Williams was convicted without a confession or credible evidence. His conviction came after an eyewitness testimony, though no forensic evidence or surveillance video connected him to the murder. A police officer who cased the gunman also gave a description that didn't match Williams. Prosecutors had also connected a Wu-Tang Clan baseball hat to William despite not testing it for DNA.
Lander's office said police ignored a witness who claimed that Grant Williams wasn't the shooter, but officers failed to record it.
William's attorney Irving Cohen told the Associated Press that the city "did the right thing" in agreeing to a pre-litigation settlement. Cohen said the state also settled a separate $5M claim from Willaims.
Since his release, Williams has been welcomed by his Wu-Tang Clan affiliates.
[Via]