The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to pay $12 million to a woman who spent 17 years in prison on a murder conviction before a judge declared her innocent.
Susan Mellen was convicted of the 1997 beating death of a homeless man. After being exonerated and released in 2014, she sued former LA Police Department detective Marcella Winn. The lawsuit contended the detective had been told a witness against Mellen was “a habitual liar,” but failed to disclose that to the defense.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously last August that the suit against Winn should go to trial.
Winn and Mellen could not be immediately reached for comment about this week’s settlement.
The Los Angeles Times says Wednesday that the LAPD declined to comment.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Space Startups Seek Insurance for Orbital AI Data Centers 
Mississippi Insurance Dept. Top Examiner Named in $90M Credit Union Theft Suit 
US P/C Rebounds to Post Q1 Underwriting Gain; Net Income Doubles 
Trump Says Illegal Immigration Increased Car Insurance but Experts Say Otherwise 
