TULSA, Okla. — Henry Jamerson’s $26.2 million settlement is, by all accounts, the largest settlement for wrongful convictions in state history.
2 News has extensively covered Jamerson’s journey to justice — and in the latest interview with him, he is visibly relieved it is over.
WATCH: Wrongfully convicted Tulsa man’s journey for justice finally ends:
“A whole lot of joy, happy it’s over, can move on with my life,” he said.
He even quipped about his plan to keep working for his attorney, Dan Smolen, despite winning the lump-sum settlement.
“Yep, keep driving for Dan, going to get me a hat sometime this week that says ‘dream team,’” he laughs.
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After buying a home for himself and his mom, he vows to be financially responsible. Twenty-five years in prison, then fighting 10 more to get off of a sex offender registry and compensation, will teach someone to appreciate the present — arguable more than others who come into that kind of money quickly. He knows how quickly life can take things away.
“I’m not going to get no big head, think I’m better than this person,” he said. “I used to be in that same position that person was in. If it wasn’t for Dan, I’d still be walking around trying to find a job.”
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He and Smolen forged a special friendship. Smolen said he knew he was innocent the moment he met him.
“He continued to maintain innocence when he had the opportunity to get out of prison early and went ahead and served his entire sentence,” he explained. “The month he got out, he came and hired us to put the case together and I am honored we were able to do that. It’s been the privilege of my life to work for him. He’s an incredible human.”
Smolen credits Tulsa mayor Monroe Nichols for quickly settling the lawsuit. He believes it saved taxpayers from shelling out millions more, had the case gone to trial. Plus, Jamerson gets to move on, and that’s priceless.
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