NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Three men wrongfully convicted of murder in New Orleans are filing a lawsuit after decades of being locked behind bars in Angola.
For more than 28 years, Kunta Gable, Sydney Hill and Bernell Juluke were wrongly incarcerated for the 1994 murder of Rondell Santinac. At the time of their conviction, the men were between 17 and 18 years old.
On Monday, Oct. 16, those men officially filed a lawsuit against the City of New Orleans, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office, along with the individual officers involved.
“I’m aiming for the jury to decide what I should receive because me personally, I never thought about a value on life,” Hill said. “So, I can’t throw out a number or anything like that.”
On Oct. 19, 2022, the three men were released from prison after newly uncovered evidence linked the crime to former New Orleans police officers Len David and Samie Williams.
“These young men missed 28 Mardi Gras, 28 Christmases and were away from their family for 10,285 days,” said attorney John Addock. “These men will never get back their lives that were taken from them, but today with this lawsuit, we aim to get justice and accountability.”
Davis, one of the officers involved, has been on federal death row for multiple charges. As for Williams, his location is unknown, but he is believed to be living free, after testifying against Davis.
“It’s amazing that my lawyer was able to file, to get me compensated for what I’ve been through the last 28 years of my life,” Hill said. “I’m satisfied with that, and I’m looking forward to it. I’m blessed, and I thank god for everything that happened.”
According to Addock, no future dates have been set.
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