Avoyelles Parish man who served 44 years for rape set free due to 'unfair trial'
MARKSVILLE, La. (KLFY) - In 1977, a Black man was sentenced to 100 years in prison, convicted of attempted rape of white twin sisters. Today, after serving 44 years, his charges were dismissed in a court hearing in Avoyelles Parish after an attorney filed a motion for his release, citing an unfair trial.
Vincent Simmons, now 69, is a free man after being sentenced when he was 25 and spending 44 years in prison. Avoyelles Parish District Attorney Charlie Riddle will not prosecute and has dismissed the charges against Simmons. Riddle says the time Simmons served is sufficient, and the victims don't want to go through another trial.
Simmons was accused of attempted aggravated rape of 14-year-old twin sisters Sharon and Karen Sanders, who are white. His conviction was handed down by a jury of 11 white men and one Black woman, CBS reported. CBS's David Begnaud recently investigated the case, asking the question of whether Simmons got a fair trial.
According to CBS, Riddle offered to release Simmons on the term that he register as a sex offender, but Simmons refused, maintaining his innocence.
An attorney that took up Simmons' case, Justin Bonus, filed a motion for his release. Today, February 14, 2022, Simmons was cleared of all charges and released from prison.
KLFY News 10's Renee Allen was in the courtroom and will have more details of the court hearing in our newscasts later today.
CBS contributed to this report.