Man given 2.1 billion for serving 39 years in false murder charge

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A California man wrongly convicted of murder has been awarded $21m (£16m) as compensation for his 38 years in jail.

Craig Coley, 71, was jailed in 1978 for the murder of his ex-partner and her son, but consistently maintained his innocence.

He was released in November 2017 after DNA evidence cleared him during a review of the case.

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His prison term is reportedly the longest ever overturned in California history.

The compensation will be paid by the city of Simi Valley as part of an out-of-court settlement.

“While no amount of money can make up for what happened to Mr Coley, settling this case is the right thing to do for Mr Coley and our community,” said Simi Valley City Manager, Eric Levitt.

“The monetary cost of going to trial would be astronomical and it would be irresponsible for us to move forward in that direction.”

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