Josh Stein, Governor of North Carolina has proclaimed that August 27 will hereafter be recognized as Ronnie Long Freedom Day.
On August 27, 2020, Ronnie Long was finally released from prison following a wrongful incarceration that spanned 44 years, 3 months, and 17 days. Following his release from prison, Mr. Long was granted a Pardon of Innocence in December 2020 by Governor Roy Cooper.
Chris Olson of Olson Law was privileged to work with the Duke Wrongful Convictions Clinic on the exoneration effort pursued on Mr. Long’s behalf and to also represent Mr. Long in his post-exoneration civil rights lawsuit. That suit resulted in a total settlement of $25 million and a formal, written apology from the City of Concord for its role in Mr. Long’s wrongful incarceration.
