Wrongfully convicted man released after 40 years in jail
 

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/08/20/wrong ... index.html

LUFKIN, Texas (AP) -- A 76-year-old man who spent nearly every day of the last four decades in prison walked free after a judge found that deputies extracted his confession to a 1962 robbery by crushing his fingers between cell bars.

After walking out of the Angelina County jail Tuesday with his wife, Robert Carroll Coney said he was not bitter.

"I'm going to try to pick up the pieces," Coney said. "If I was angry, what could I do about it?"

Coney was convicted of robbing a Safeway supermarket in 1962 and sentenced to life in prison. Many times he escaped from facilities in other states -- including South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi -- only to be recaptured each time. He was returned to the Texas prison system last year.

Coney said his identity had been confused with a man he had carpooled with through Lufkin on the day of the robbery.

State District Judge David Wilson, who dismissed Coney's charges, investigated and found that the sheriff of Angelina County at the time and his deputies used physical force to extract confessions, often crushing prisoners' fingers between jail cell bars.

When Wilson questioned Coney, the prisoner held up two twisted and bent fingers.

"I remember the sheriff well," Coney said.

He said the jailers, in addition to mangling his hand, threatened his life and scared him into confessing. Wilson's findings stated Coney probably did not see a lawyer until he stood before a judge in the case with then-court-appointed lawyer Gilbert Spring. Spring said he didn't remember Coney's case and told Wilson that courts frequently called attorneys in the 1960s to stand with defendants for no money.

"It really contains everybody's worst fears about what went on during certain darker years in this country," said Huntsville attorney David P. O'Neill, who worked on Coney's case.

Coney said he may consider a civil suit at some point but initially wants to focus on his family.

Holding his wife's hand as he left the jail Tuesday for their Dallas home, Coney said little about the ordeal.

"We're going home," Coney said.

dont they in the get reimbursed when they come out after being wrongly convicted - thats one rich mother fucker

wow 40years... thats most of your life. that guy better get something good like no taxes for 40years or something

dude is 76, that sucks...

And I'm sure there are thousands just like him.

police are jackasses

wow, thats gotta suck. oOo:

poor man,i would sue US for that shit :)

[quote="St@tIc":b4653]poor man,i would sue US for that shit :)[/quote:b4653]

GOOD IDEA. Its not the courts that made the mistake, its not the police, its the entire country.

Youre a few phases short of a blastula.

Sue the US?

The US didn't make the decision to put him in jail. A trial in front of his peers decided his fate. They were wrong. I don't think you can sue jury members.

it was a joke annoy:

[quote="St@tIc":11a13]it was a joke annoy:[/quote:11a13]

You suck at humour.

eek: dude with the money hes got his gonna have so mega fuking to do

Ah fuck him. He probably did some other shit to deserve 40 yrs.

You people are still using jails?

Pistol round to the temple > 40 years of food, lodging, clothing and recreation (paid for by your tax dollars).

yeah 40 years of food and clothing makes it ok oOo: thats bullshit, he should sue the shit out of the state for that fuckup. 40 years and now hes out, what is he going to do now? enjoy the rest of your 70's mister.

if I came out of jail 40 years later knwoing this...fuck id get myself so fucked off whatever I could because you basically have no life anymore.

I hate when shit like this happens. It scares me to think that some guy spent 40 years in jail for a crime that he didnt commit.

all the gov says is "sorry"

I think I posted this a while ago, it's worth a re-read.


[url=http://www.sundayherald.com/40592:622c1]We locked you up in jail for 25 years and you were innocent all along? That’ll be £80,000 please[/url:622c1]

I haven't been keeping my eye on this one, so I don't know what the current state of play is.

[quote:84366]On Tuesday, Blunkett will fight in the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the right to charge victims of miscarriages of justice more than £3000 for every year they spent in jail while wrongly convicted. [/quote:84366]
oOo:

lol

PAY FOR OUR MISTAKES BITCH!!1111

[quote="Mr.Buttocks":dc02b]I think I posted this a while ago, it's worth a re-read.


[url=http://www.sundayherald.com/40592:dc02b]We locked you up in jail for 25 years and you were innocent all along? That’ll be £80,000 please[/url:dc02b]

I haven't been keeping my eye on this one, so I don't know what the current state of play is.[/quote:dc02b]

that pretty much sums up the attitude governments have toward their citizens...

If that ever happened to me I'll fucking go on a rampage and destroy anything that belonged to the government like in Vice City. Blow up every god damn fucking federal building! I'll be so pissed off,.

he did it to himself.

[quote="Infection_Smith@":d566f]If that ever happened to me I'll fucking go on a rampage and destroy anything that belonged to the government like in Vice City. Blow up every god damn fucking federal building! I'll be so pissed off,.[/quote:d566f]

Are you some kind of retard? Youre gonna kill innocent civilians because you got fucked over? DO it in the courts you fucking halfwhit, this isnt a video game, peoples lives are not expendable. Youre a fucking moron and should think before you talk.

OMG IF THISSE$ WAS DEERHUNTER AID BLLOWW UP THEYUH FOREST AWSNSADHS KID EVERYTHIG`1!!!!

Im done reading your posts, fucking ptz.

[quote=MrLevinstein]Are you some kind of retard? Youre gonna kill innocent civilians because you got fucked over? DO it in the courts you fucking halfwhit, this isnt a video game, peoples lives are not expendable. Youre a fucking moron and should think before you talk.

OMG IF THISSE$ WAS DEERHUNTER AID BLLOWW UP THEYUH FOREST AWSNSADHS KID EVERYTHIG`1!!!!

Im done reading your posts, fucking ptz.[/quote:6b149]

I'll do it anyway. :P By the way you just proved your the fucking retard by getting pissed off by my post which I deliberately made to make you angry.

I didnt get pissed, I just think youre retarded for thinking that taking human life is no biggie because of a video game

[quote=MrLevinstein]Are you some kind of retard? Youre gonna kill innocent civilians because you got fucked over? DO it in the courts you fucking halfwhit, this isnt a video game, peoples lives are not expendable. Youre a fucking moron and should think before you talk.

OMG IF THISSE$ WAS DEERHUNTER AID BLLOWW UP THEYUH FOREST AWSNSADHS KID EVERYTHIG`1!!!!

Im done reading your posts, fucking ptz.[/quote:c64bb]

ROFL

[quote="Infection_Smith@":e1a54]If that ever happened to me I'll fucking go on a rampage and destroy anything that belonged to the government like in Vice City. Blow up every god damn fucking federal building! I'll be so pissed off,.[/quote:e1a54]
Think it thru fella...that shit could get you some serious jail time... annoy:

i'd get all the bubbas from jail to rape the president

[quote=MrLevinstein]Are you some kind of retard? Youre gonna kill innocent civilians because you got fucked over? DO it in the courts you fucking halfwhit, this isnt a video game, peoples lives are not expendable. Youre a fucking moron and should think before you talk.

OMG IF THISSE$ WAS DEERHUNTER AID BLLOWW UP THEYUH FOREST AWSNSADHS KID EVERYTHIG`1!!!!

Im done reading your posts, fucking ptz.[/quote:a109f]

You would rather do it in Iraq. I know.

Oh golly, he knows.