A Philadelphia man who was free of jail after serving 24 years for a homicide conviction for which he was exonerated is returning to jail for a separate killing.
Shaurn Thomas, 50, was exonerated and given a $4.1 million settlement after he was launched from a life sentence in 2017 following the overturning of his 1994 homicide conviction.
However on Thursday, Thomas pleaded responsible to a 2023 homicide, in response to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Shaurn Thomas, 50, pleaded responsible on Thursday to homicide, conspiracy, unlawful gun possession and different fees. (iStock)
Thomas was convicted of capturing and killing his girlfriend’s good friend, Akeem Edwards, final 12 months after the sufferer allegedly did not pay $1,200 for the cocaine Thomas offered him to promote, the outlet reported.
The choose on the plea listening to appeared shocked {that a} man who acquired tens of millions in settlement cash after spending practically half his life in jail would threat being despatched again over a comparably small sum of money, in response to the paper.
“Are these details true?” Widespread Pleas Court docket Choose Roxanne Covington requested Thomas, to which he confirmed.
Thomas was convicted of capturing and killing his girlfriend’s good friend, Akeem Edwards, final 12 months after the sufferer allegedly did not pay $1,200 for the cocaine Thomas offered him to promote, the outlet reported. (iStock)
On high of the homicide cost, Thomas pleaded responsible to conspiracy, unlawful gun possession and different fees.
Edwards’ household instructed the paper that they hope Thomas returns to jail for the remainder of his life after his sentencing, which is scheduled for February.
“There’s not sufficient time for them to presumably give him,” Edwards’ sister, Tyeisha Marshall, instructed the paper.
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Thomas was exonerated and given a $4.1 million settlement after he was launched from a life sentence in 2017. (iStock)
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Thomas’ earlier life sentence that was overturned in 2017 got here after the 1990 capturing dying of a businessman in a theft gone flawed.
A choose vacated his conviction over points with the police investigation, together with the failure to confirm his alleged alibi, in addition to interrogation ways involving alleged coconspirators. The Pennsylvania Innocence Undertaking, which helped safe Thomas’ freedom, says he was nowhere close to the homicide scene.
Prosecutors stated they weren’t utterly satisfied that Thomas was totally harmless within the killing, however the Philadelphia District Lawyer’s Workplace declined to retry his case.
