Man who Spent 20 Years in Prison Released after his Twin Brother Confessed to Committing the Murder
- Kevin Dugar spent almost 20 years in prison after he was convicted over a fatal shooting in 2003
- However, in 2016, his twin Karl Smith confessed to being responsible for the crime which had erroneously put his brother in jail
- A judge refused to review Dugar’s case till recently when another judge had a look at it before setting him free
A US man who spent almost 20 years in prison for a murder he did not commit has been freed after his twin brother confessed to the crime.
The New York Post reported that Kevin Dugar was freed from the Cook County Jail in Chicago on Tuesday, January 25.
Source: UGC
Innocent man jailed
Speaking to the press, the lawyer said his client was thrilled after regaining his much-deserved freedom and was adjusting to everyday life.
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“He is overjoyed to be free but is also adjusting to a world that is quite different from the world he left 20 years ago when he was arrested for this crime he did not commit,” the lawyer said.
Brother’s confession
Dugar was convicted for the 2003 fatal shooting of a rival gang member before his twin's confession changed everything.
In 2016, Dugar's brother Karl Smith said he was behind the deadly shooting, Daily Mail reports.
In 2018, a judge refused to offer Dugar a retrial, saying his brother's admission was not credible.
During his admission, Smith was already serving a 99-year sentence. However, Dugar got a lifeline when another judge started reviewing his case.
“We are hopeful that the State does the right thing and dismisses this case. But if the State persists, we look forward to vindicating him at trial,” Dugar’s lawyer said.
51-year-old man wrongly jailed for 22 years gets N9bn compensation
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a 51-year-old man who was wrongly jailed for 22 years had bagged N9bn in compensation, making him a billionaire.
US national, Eddie Bolden, wrongfully convicted in 1994 for a double murder, received a massive pay-out from a jury.
The jury awarded him more than N9,923,291,764 in damages after he sued the city of Chicago and two police detectives.
In a landmark ruling, the jury ordered the city of Chicago to pay Bolden N9,923,291,764 in compensation, and the two detectives were ordered to pay him N4,042,822.
Source: Legit.ng
