Glynn Simmons dies after spending 48 years in prison for crime he didn't commit

OKLAHOMA — Glynn Simmons, the Oklahoma man who spent 48 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, has died after a battle with cancer.

Simmons was released from prison in 2023 and later declared innocent, becoming the longest-serving wrongfully convicted person to be exonerated in U.S. history.

His attorney, Joseph Norwood, confirmed his death on Wednesday in a statement remembering Simmons’ determination.

Attorney remembers Glynn Simmons

“Glynn Simmons was a fighter. When he came to me to represent him, he was fighting for his life. I watched him fight for himself, and I fought alongside him, intensely and for a very long time,” Norwood said.

“Once we got him out, he was immediately faced with another fight, his cancer, which ultimately took him. He fought it to the end.”

Norwood said he was proud to have helped Simmons regain his freedom.

“That is what I will remember about Glynn. He didn’t give up. He fought.”

“I am proud to have helped him get the years of freedom he had. My thoughts are with his family and friends,” Norwood said.

Simmons family remembers his legacy

In a statement shared by Pastor Derrick Scobey of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Simmons’ family reflected on his life after prison and on his decision to remain here in Oklahoma.

“When Glynn walked free, he could have left Oklahoma. He chose to stay. He said he wanted to build a legacy here, and he never forgot the many Oklahomans who showed him kindness, even after all that had happened to him,” the family said.

The family said Simmons remained grateful despite the decades he spent wrongfully imprisoned.

“Through it all, Glynn carried an attitude of gratitude. He looked for the best in people, and he believed the best about them. He never let bitterness have the last word.”

The family also shared that Simmons accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior on Sunday, Oct. 25, just days before his death.

The family thanked the public for its prayers and support and requested privacy while grieving. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

Nearly five decades behind bars

Simmons was convicted in connection with a 1975 Oklahoma City murder and spent nearly five decades fighting to prove his innocence.

Following his exoneration, Simmons filed a federal civil rights lawsuit over his wrongful conviction and reached a partial $7.15 million settlement.

Simmons had been free for approximately three years before his passing.