Marcel Brown, who was wrongfully imprisoned for seven years, has been awarded $50 million by the City of Chicago. In 2011, at just 18 years old, Brown was convicted as an accomplice in the 2008 murder of 19-year-old Paris Jackson, stemming from a shooting at Amundsen Park on the city's West Side.
Karen Daniel from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law's Center on Wrongful Convictions stated that Brown was interrogated for 34 hours before giving a false statement that led to his conviction. Daniel noted that their investigation revealed Jackson was accidentally killed by his own friends. Brown's conviction was overturned in 2018, and he was exonerated.
Brown then sued the Chicago Police, claiming they coerced his confession. At a news conference, Brown reflected on his experience, saying, "I was just a kid. I felt like a slave. They put me in a den full of lions, and they didn't care or show no remorse."
After his exoneration and the verdict, Brown expressed his plans for the future. He intends to use the awarded money to care for his family and embrace his newfound freedom. The Chicago Department of Law, however, mentioned they are "reviewing the verdict and assessing its legal options."
Link: CBS News
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