NEW HAVEN — Four men wrongfully convicted of a 1996 shooting in New Haven that left one person dead and two injured are seeking a $33 million settlement from the state.
Carlos Ashe, Johnny Johnson, Darcus Henry and Sean Adams spent almost 17 years in prison before they were released in 2013 when a judge dismissed charges. They’re seeking a settlement under the state’s compensation statute on wrongful incarceration.
They were convicted largely on the testimony of a key witness who was offered a reduced sentence on unrelated charges in exchange for his testimony, but who said he hadn’t been offered a deal.
Victor Sipos, who’s representing the four men, tells the New Haven Register his clients were “victims of state officials who ignored their constitutional duties because they wanted convictions more than the truth.”
The suit comes at a time when wrongful convictions are in the news thanks to the popular Netflix series, “Making A Murderer” about Wisconsin convicted murderer Steven Avery.
