CAMDEN COUNTY, GEORGIA: Leonard Cure, a 53-year-old Black man who spent more than 16 years wrongfully imprisoned for armed robbery, was shot dead during a traffic stop in Georgia on Monday, October 16.
The heartbreaking turn of events occurred while Cure was on his way to visit his mother, marking a heartbreaking end to a life that had been marred by an unjust conviction and subsequent vindication, leaving netizens deeply saddened.
Leonard Cure's fatal encounter during a traffic halt
Cure had been exonerated and released from prison three and a half years prior to the tragic encounter with law enforcement. The incident occurred during a traffic stop for speeding on Interstate 95 in Camden County, Georgia.
Cure was allegedly driving at speeds exceeding 90 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to New York Times.
Initially cooperating with the deputy's requests, Cure's demeanor took a violent turn when he was informed of his impending arrest. The deputy resorted to using a Taser and a baton in an effort to subdue Cure, who had become physically aggressive.
As Cure continued to resist arrest and refused to comply with commands, the deputy ultimately drew his firearm and discharged it, leading to Cure's tragic death.
The deputy involved in the shooting has not been identified, and the role of race in the incident remains uncertain. It is unclear whether there is body camera footage of the traffic stop, and whether such footage will be released to the public.
Cure's exoneration had been facilitated by the Innocence Project of Florida.
Following his release, he secured employment, embarked on the journey of purchasing a home, and nurtured aspirations of pursuing higher education in music production.
Leonard Cure's journey to exoneration
Cure's wrongful conviction stemmed from a 2003 armed robbery at a Walgreens pharmacy in Dania Beach, Florida. His conviction was a result of a second jury trial after the first had resulted in a deadlock.
Due to previous convictions for robbery and other offenses, Cure had received a life sentence.
In December 2019, Cure sought the assistance of the newly established Broward State Attorney's Office Conviction Review Unit to reexamine his case.
The unit had uncovered unsettling revelations, including the dismissal of solid alibis and the absence of physical evidence or credible witnesses placing Cure at the scene of the crime.
An independent review panel, consisting of five lawyers, concluded that the case against Cure gave rise to reasonable doubt regarding his culpability, ultimately leading to his exoneration.
A judge nullified Cure's convictions and sentence, and just three days later, all charges against him were dismissed. This historic exoneration marked the first case in which an inmate had been cleared by Broward's review unit.
“I’m looking forward to putting this situation behind me and moving on with my life,” Cure expressed to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
In August of this year, he received $817,000 in compensation for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment, with the approval of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor described Cure as a "smart, funny, and kind person."
“After he was freed and exonerated by our office, he visited prosecutors at our office and participated in training to help our staff do their jobs in the fairest and most thorough way possible,” Pryor said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this tragic event, with the public eagerly awaiting further details.
Netizens express their sympathy for Leonard Cure
Cure's tragic death was a heart-wrenching blow to his family and internet users who encountered his story.
A user asserted, "Crazy, the man resisted arrest because of a previous Injustice, no doubt experiencing some trauma from it. Justified, but how damn tragic."
Another stated, "That is so sad, rest in peace sir."
A third added, "Hope they got a bodycam or dashboard cam." "F**king hell, this poor guy couldn’t catch a break." "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC. Our judicial system literally ruined this man’s life. WOW JUST WOW. Shame on them….," read a tweet.
