Detective not immune from civil rights claims brought by America’s longest serving exoneree

A federal judge in Oklahoma refused to dismiss civil rights claims against Oklahoma City detective Claude Shobert, who is accused of fabricating evidence that helped convict Glynn Simmons of a 1974 murder. Simmons served roughly 48 years before his 2023 exoneration, making him believed to be the longest-serving exoneree in American history.

U.S. District Judge Bernard Jones found a reasonable jury could conclude Shobert falsified a February 1975 police lineup report, since Simmons says he was never in that lineup at all. The case returns after the 10th Circuit sent it back for a fuller qualified-immunity analysis, with Jones noting the 50-year-old facts are murky because witnesses are dead or forgetful.

Simmons already settled with the city of Edmond and a deceased detective's estate for $7.15 million in 2024. This suit against Oklahoma City and Shobert continues toward trial.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.