PHILADELPHIA — A man from Philadelphia has been released from prison after serving 41 years, following the latest examination of convictions that have been said to be compromised by police officers who allegedly facilitated inappropriate encounters for witnesses in exchange for fabricated testimonies.
Russell Williams, aged 67, is the fourth individual to have his conviction nullified amid the so-called “sex for lies” scandal. Under an agreement with the prosecution, Williams exited prison after admitting to third-degree murder in a case dating back to 1982 and was sentenced to time already served.
According to his attorney, Kevin Mincey, Williams insists on his innocence but ultimately opted for his release. “He still maintains his innocence,” Mincey stated. “But he chose his freedom.”
During a court session on Thursday, Common Pleas Judge Scott DiClaudio clarified that overturning the original first-degree murder conviction and life sentence should not be seen as an exoneration, but rather as possibly the “appropriate” solution given the peculiar circumstances surrounding the case.
Another individual implicated in the same case, Andre “Shakur” Harvey, also received his freedom through a comparable plea deal in October. They were among three men found guilty of the homicide of Fred Rainey on a street in North Philadelphia in 1982, while the third man involved passed away while incarcerated.
Reports indicate that authorities did not reveal the existence of two alternative suspects, including an individual linked to a gambling operation that might have been involved in the crime.
Additionally, Willie Stokes, another man released in connection with the sex-for-lies inquiry, spent numerous years behind bars before discovering that a key trial witness had faced perjury charges just days after Stokes’ trial in 1984. He was set free in 2022.
A further individual, William Franklin, was liberated after serving 44 years in prison, following a judge’s ruling that highlighted the evidence of police soliciting false testimony as “credible and convincing.”
It is noteworthy that the detectives who played central roles in this ongoing investigation have since passed away.
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