Wrong Man Report” : “The Wrongfully Convicted: Glynn Simmons’ Fight for Justice in the Edmond Liquor Store Murder Case

Accident – death – Obituary News : Edmond, Oklahoma, a city known for its large and diverse community, was once a sundown town in the 1970s. During that time, white families sought refuge in Edmond to escape forced school integration in nearby Oklahoma City. The population of Edmond was predominantly white, and even the police force consisted solely of white officers.

In the early months of 1975, the Edmond police department was focused on solving a murder case at the Edmond Liquor Store. Two black men were sought as suspects for the crime, which had gone cold. The case caught the attention of News 4, who has been covering the story for over two decades.

On December 30th, 1974, Glynn Simmons, a 22-year-old man, was in Harvey, Louisiana, when two black men shot up the Edmond Liquor Store. Three white women were inside at the time, one of whom was wounded but survived, while Carolyn Sue Rogers tragically lost her life. The murder was a significant event in Edmond, as homicides were rare in the town at the time.

Despite the efforts of the Edmond and Oklahoma City Police detectives, little usable evidence was found at the crime scene. No murder weapon or solid leads were discovered, except for an eyewitness account from Belinda Brown, an 18-year-old who had been shot in the back of the head. Brown described two assailants to a composite sketch artist, Jim Garr.

The investigation seemed to hit a dead end as months passed with no breakthrough. The victim’s family and the Edmond community were desperate for answers. Detectives organized additional lineups at the Oklahoma City Police Headquarters, where the wounded eyewitness identified several black men, including Glynn Simmons and Don Roberts.

Simmons and Roberts became the prime suspects in the case, despite no positive identification from the eyewitness in the police lineups. The Edmond Police named them as the culprits and charged them with the crime. Both men had alibis, but their claims were not thoroughly investigated. Simmons had numerous witnesses in Louisiana who remembered being with him on the night of the murder, yet the police never verified his alibi.

In a trial that lasted only two days, Simmons and Roberts were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The eyewitness testimony played a significant role in their conviction, but doubts about the accuracy of eyewitness accounts have since emerged.

Simmons, who maintained his innocence throughout the years, faced death row until a U.S. Supreme Court decision commuted his sentence to life in prison in 1977. Despite being unable to prove his innocence in court, Simmons continued to fight for his freedom, writing letters and seeking help from private investigators.

In 1997, a private investigator hired by Simmons discovered an exculpatory police report that had been missing from the court file. This report, which could have provided crucial evidence in his defense, was not shared with the defense during the trial. Simmons reached out to News 4 for assistance, hoping to shed light on his case.

For nearly five decades, Simmons has been incarcerated, unable to erase the conviction that he vehemently denies. He refuses to show remorse or take responsibility for a crime he did not commit, making it difficult for him to be granted parole.

Simmons’ hope for freedom lies in the piles of paperwork stored in his prison cell, including police lineups and trial transcripts. These documents serve as breadcrumbs, leading him towards the possibility of exoneration. Despite the immense challenges he faces, Simmons remains resilient and determined to prove his innocence..