Roland S. Martin
Wrongly Convicted Black Man Takes Plea Deal, Freed After 42 Years
“Elvis Brooks, walked out of Louisiana’s infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary, nicknamed “Angola,” Wednesday after agreeing to plead guilty to a lesser offense in the case that sent him to prison almost a half-century ago. Although evidence was uncovered that prosecutors withheld showing that Brooks’ fingerprints didn’t match those found at the scene, as well as other irregularities, he was convicted. Brooks told reporters on Tuesday, “I wanted my freedom …I’ve been locked up since 1977. I’m not getting any younger.”
