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Ronnie Long, dressed in a dark three-piece suit, a red tie and a hat, was released from jail, carrying only a few items with him. Before addressing reporters, he raised his hands in the crowd and hugged the people he loved.
“It just came to our attention then. But it’s finally over. It’s over now,” said the former prisoner.
Wearing a protective mask with the legend “Free Ronnie Long”, he thanked his attorneys and loved ones for their support and perseverance during “this long legal battle.”
Ronnie Long (64) was accused of raping a white woman. The jurors, who were all white, pleaded guilty to rape in 1976 and sentenced him to life in prison.
His verdict was overturned Thursday after the state of North Carolina filed a request in federal court to do so.
Since the conviction, Long has “revealed a disturbing and alarming pattern of intentional concealment of police material evidence by police,” wrote Stephanie Thacker, a judge for the United States Fourth District Court of Appeals.
Evidence was deliberately concealed by police in the case, including sperm samples and fingerprints found at the crime scene that did not match Long.
Scanpix Photo / Ronnie Long released from prison
“Due to the deception that took place at the trial, Ronnie Long and his attorney did not benefit at that time from the evidence that could have been provided to the jurors. So he was wrongly imprisoned for 44 years, “said Jamie Lau, Long’s attorney and a law professor at Duke University.
Race also played an important role
Hiding the evidence already meant that Long was facing an unfair trial for him, but according to the former prisoner’s attorney, racial dynamics had a big impact at the time as well.
Long was charged with raping a 54-year-old white woman on April 25, 1976. She reported that the abuser attacked her in her own home, raped her and ran away, according to court documents.
About two weeks later, officials asked him to go to the courtroom and monitor the criminals who were being tried in other cases. Officials wanted to know if their attacker would be among them. Finally, the woman told the court that she had been assaulted by R. Long, who was in court that day for a misdemeanor. As a result, the rape allegations were dismissed, but Long had to face trial on rape charges.
There were no blacks among the jurors who heard the case. Everyone and the witness for the prosecution were white, and the defense witnesses were all black, Long’s attorney said.
“All the letters were against him, and the biggest influence was the racism that prevailed in North Carolina in 1976, and especially in Concord,” he added.
Scanpix Photo / Ronnie Long released from prison
Federal judges also alluded to racial inequality in disclosure documents.
“Mr. Long, a black man from a ‘small town’ in 1970s North Carolina, was tried by an all-white jury for raping the white widow of a prominent local business leader,” wrote James Wynn , judge of the Fourth District Court of Appeals.
Civil rights leaders and local officials welcomed Long’s release, and North Carolina NAACP President Fr. Anthony Spearman called his wrongful imprisonment “the embodiment of injustice.”
“It is no secret that I am glad that justice has finally solved Ronnie Long’s case. Longong suffered 44 years of injustice, “he wrote on Twitter.
The charges have not yet been dropped
Long has tried to prove his innocence for years. However, his release from prison has yet to find him innocent. The federal court left the matter in the hands of a lower court.
Although the allegations have yet to be rejected, Long’s attorney said he was confident that would be the case.
“There is no evidence of Ronnie’s responsibility for this crime,” he said.
Finally, Long is a free man. Fresh out of jail, he told reporters that he wanted pasta and cheese, beef ribs, salads and some lemonade.
Scanpix Photo / Ronnie Long released from prison
Long was also happy to be reunited with his loved ones, but he is very sorry that his mother did not receive this day.
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