California man freed from double murder after 40 years in prison gets $ 21 million

A Southern California man who was wrongfully jailed for almost forty years for the murder of his girlfriend and his 4-year-old son will receive $ 21 million in a settlement with the city of Simi Valley, announced officials.

Craig Coley, 71, was released from prison in 2017 after being pardoned by the governor of the day. Jerry Brown, who claimed that DNA evidence and a new investigation have proven Coley's innocence in the murders of Rhonda Wicht, 24, and her son in 1978.

Forensic tests showed that Coley's DNA was not on the victim's sheet, which contained the DNA of an unknown man. Coley also had an alibi for the time of the murders and the investigators subsequently refuted the testimony of a witness who had placed her at the scene.

Brown pardoned Coley at the request of the Simi Valley Police Chief and Ventura County Attorney 's Office, and the state approved a separate payment of nearly $ 2 million last year. A judge also said that Coley was actually innocent.

The settlement with Simi Valley has been reported for the first time by the Los Angeles Times. City officials said the agreement would avoid lengthy, costly and unnecessary court proceedings.

"Although no amount of money can compensate for what happened to Mr. Coley, settling this case is the right thing to do for Mr. Coley and our community," said City Manager , Eric Levitt, in a statement. The city will pay about $ 4.9 million and the rest should be paid for by insurance and other sources.

Ron Kaye, a lawyer representing Coley, said the settlement offers a closure and a justification to his client, although no amount of money can make up for it for life that he missed during his incarceration.

"He can now live the rest of his life, which we hope will be fine in the future, with the security he deserves," Kaye said.

Simi Valley police did not arrest anyone else during the killings.

Associated Press contributed to this report.