The town is refusing to admit fault.
Rev. Darron Carmon, who spent eight years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of armed robbery in 1994, has reached a $4.4 million settlement in a lawsuit against the Town of Winterville, North Carolina, and the officers involved in his case. The lawsuit accused the town and law enforcement of withholding crucial evidence that could have proven his innocence. Carmon’s conviction was overturned in 2022, and he was granted a pardon of innocence by North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, in November.
Carmon was arrested at the age of 19 for the robbery, which took place in a convenience store in Winterville. He was identified by the store clerk in a photo lineup. However, Carmon’s lawsuit pointed out that the clerk’s description of the suspect did not match Carmon’s physical characteristics at the time, particularly his height. Additionally, Carmon claimed that police failed to disclose fingerprint evidence from the scene that did not match his own, which was only properly analyzed years later.
In response, Winterville officials stated that the clerk’s identification of Carmon was valid and that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the officers involved. They also clarified that fingerprint evidence was not properly processed at the time due to the limitations of law enforcement technology. The town denied any malicious intent or misconduct by the officers, but acknowledged that the fingerprint analysis was delayed for years.
After participating in a court-ordered mediation, Carmon and the involved parties agreed to settle the lawsuit for $4.4 million. The settlement was covered by insurance companies representing the town and officers, as neither the town nor the officers admitted to any wrongdoing. The town expressed that it was pleased to have resolved the matter and was looking forward to moving forward from the situation.
Carmon, who has since become a pastor and community leader, expressed his frustration with the long process of proving his innocence. Despite the emotional and legal challenges, he continues to work on projects that help others, including mentoring children and fighting racism.