A man who spent 27 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit has been awarded $2.85 million — and a heartfelt apology — by state officials.
“There are no words to express how deeply sorry we are for what was taken from you and for the failure of our justice system,” Lt. Gov. Aruna K. Miller said Wednesday while presiding over a Maryland Board of Public Works meeting.
“While no amount of money can erase the injustice you faced or the time that was stolen from you, I hope that this action by this board provides meaningful support, healing and comfort as you step into the next chapter of your life.”
The board approved a payment of $2,748,795 to Langhorne for wrongful confinement under the Walter Lomax Act plus $4,692.50 in attorneys’ fees, according to public records. In addition, he was awarded $99,720 in housing benefits.
Langhorne was convicted in February, 1996 and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 24-year-old Laurence A. Jones in the 1400 block of Bank Street. He was 23 when he was arrested and spent the next 9,870 days behind bars, Miller said.
He steadfastly maintained his innocence and in 2019, asked the state to review his case.
Five years later, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates moved to vacate his conviction, citing conflicting witness testimonies, a trial witness who recanted, and the failure of former prosecutors to disclose information about other potential suspects.
Miller said that during a meeting in her office, Langhorne told her that he had been “traumatized” twice: first for being incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, and then when he was abruptly released from prison and thrust into a new life for which he was wholly unprepared.
“I’ve been home for almost six months and in that time I’ve suffered greatly,” Langhorne told the board.
“There’s not a lot of resources for people in our situation. We come home different from people who are generally released. We’re just let out. They give you $22 a month. There’s no savings. There’s no credit. Of course, you want to go home. You don’t want to stay in just because you have no resources. You decide you’ll figure it out.”
He succeeded, but it wasn’t easy. For instance, he has diabetes and told the board he “went through every resource I could think of just to get medical insurance. Had I not had a friend in that field, I probably still wouldn’t have it.”
But Langhorne said he is focusing his anger on the individuals who harmed him rather than against society at large.
“I am angry at those who violated their trust as public servants,” he said. “They went above and beyond to ruin a man’s life, a father’s life, just to obtain a conviction. But to be angry overall serves no purpose. That’s something you have to let go.”
And for him, part of that process involves speaking out about the pressures exonerees are facing.
“I need the public to understand that it’s not just about being released,” he said.
“I know of people who were exonerated for crimes they didn’t commit who came home and found themselves in such a dire situation that now they’re back in prison for crimes they actually did commit.
“That in itself is a travesty. It is a double loss.”
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