Willie Williams Jr., 79, was wrongfully convicted of attempted murder & armed robbery in 1976. The lawsuit claims he was forced to do slave-like labor
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man who was wrongfully convicted in 1976, spending almost 45 years in prison, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday against the City of Jacksonville, Duval County and Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, according to a news release.
Williams' conviction in the robbery depended on the testimony of one of the victims who had been shot. According to Williams' attorney and legal director of The Innocence Project of Florida, Brandon Scheck, the man who identified him had previously confessed he did not remember who the shooter was. "The detectives allegedly framed Mr. Williams by suppressing and destroying exonerating evidence, manufacturing fake evidence, including using junk 'science' to wrongfully convict him," the release states."No physical evidence ever connected Williams to the crime and he consistently maintained his innocence throughout the decades."
During Williams' wrongful incarceration, he was forced to do manual labor in"harsh and inhumane condi"Throughout his time in prison, Mr. Williams also was forced to work without pay or other privileges," the release states."At times, he undertook this compelled labor at serious risk to his health and safety. For example, at the beginning of his sentence Mr. Williams was assigned to a chain-gang for six months.
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