MIAMI.- The justice She is blind and sometimes she makes mistakes too. This premise becomes more valid than ever after the City of Tampa agreed to pay a historic compensation of 14 million dollars to a man who was in prison almost four decades for a crime he did not commit.
According to records, Robert DuBoise spent 37 years behind bars, but he also nearly lost his life after initially being sentenced to death for the murder of Barbara Grams in 1983.
DuBoise later saw his sentence reduced to life in prison and thanks to new DNA tests In the case, the Innocence Project was presented in 2018, the process took another direction. Two men were identified as possible culprits and DuBoise confirmed his innocence.
After his release in 2020, the man sued the City of Tampa, as well as the police officers and a forensic dentist involved in his case, seeking financial compensation for his “unjust time in prison.”
The lawsuit was resolved with the settlement of 14 million dollarsapproved unanimously by the Tampa City Council, in west central Florida.
Under the agreement, the million-dollar sum will be disbursed in several installments, providing DuBoise with long-awaited compensation.
Despite the resolution of the case, DuBoise stated that continues to face the emotional consequences of his imprisonment. However, the debunking of a prison informant’s testimony and DNA evidence pointing to two other men reinforced his innocence.
For DuBoise, the settlement represents a step toward justice and an encouragement to ease his emotional burden.
Although the road was arduous, he said, hopes his case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of wrongful convictions and the importance of a thorough review of cases to ensure that justice is properly delivered.
