Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins, and Andrew Stewart, who were unjustly convicted in the 1983 murder case of DeWitt Duckett when they were merely 16 years old, are set to receive a substantial settlement of USD 48 million from the city of Baltimore. This momentous decision was ratified by the Baltimore City Board of Estimates during their meeting on Wednesday.
These three individuals, sentenced to life in prison, endured a staggering 36 years behind bars before being exonerated of their charges. In 2020, they were already granted USD 2.9 million from the state of Maryland through a compensation program designed for exonerees. The turning point in their case was instigated when Alfred Chestnut submitted a request for public records, unveiling previously undisclosed evidence that had been concealed from their defence during the trial. Subsequently, Chestnut made contact with Baltimore's Conviction Integrity Unit, which was in the process of reevaluating past convictions, ultimately leading to their exoneration.
A lawsuit initiated by the wrongfully convicted men underscored allegations that investigators had neglected eyewitness testimonies and physical evidence that contradicted the narrative used against them in the prosecution. The suit also contended that investigators had coerced false testimony from young witnesses. Notably, the actual perpetrator, referred to as John Doe, had already passed away.
In a collaborative motion filed jointly with the state of Maryland, the plaintiffs were granted a writ of actual innocence on November 25, 2019, just prior to Thanksgiving, resulting in their immediate release. During the meeting where the decision was announced, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott underscored the necessity of settlements such as this to rectify past injustices, emphasizing the importance of providing compensation to the affected families. He recognized that the city was paying a price for misconduct committed by officers of the Baltimore Police Department in the past.
City Council President Nick Mosby, who presides over the Board of Estimates, expressed his solidarity with Alfred Chestnut, Andrew Stewart, Ransom Watkins, and their respective families. He acknowledged that, while financial compensation could never entirely heal the emotional wounds inflicted upon these innocent men and their families throughout their wrongful imprisonment spanning 36 years, it would, to some extent, alleviate the suffering and long-lasting impact on them and their communities.
