Maurice Hastings is a 72-year-old wrongfully convicted man who spent nearly four decades behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, he has finally been awarded $25 million, a settlement that is the largest amount for a wrongful conviction in California state history. Last year, we reported that his conviction for the 1983 sexual assault and murder of Roberta Wydermyer had been vacated. DNA testing subsequently proved that the evidence could not have come from Hastings.
Hastings subsequently was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. He executed Wydermyer with a single gunshot to the head. Hastings always claimed his innocence during his nearly 29 years in prison. In 2000, he became the first American to petition for DNA testing on evidence used to convict him. The District Attorney’s office denied his request.
In 2021, Hastings doggedly filed an innocence claim past due DA’s conviction integrity unit. It was this critical move that ultimately sealed the deal with the court’s ruling in favor. In March 2023, a California judge formally deemed Hastings “factually innocent.” The order of judgment reversed the lower court’s ruling since the evidence substantially, clearly, and convincingly established his innocence.
In August, a federal judge approved a historic settlement to resolve serious misconduct allegations against law enforcement officials involved in his case. Court documents announcing this settlement were made public on Monday. Shortly after the incident, Hastings filed a lawsuit against two officers from the Inglewood Police Department. He claims that they, as well as a Los Angeles district attorney investigator, framed him.
This is what Hastings shared about the moments he is settling for – and those he’ll never get back:
“No amount of money could ever restore the 38 years of my life that were stolen from me.” – Maurice Hastings
His attorney, Nick Brustin, made it clear how significant this case was for the law enforcement practices that are prevalent across the country.
“Police departments throughout California and across the country should take notice that there is a steep price to pay for allowing such egregious misconduct on their watch.” – Nick Brustin
Now based in Southern California, Hastings is gaining a new version of his faith community. He’s equally committed to moving on with his life after spending more than 45 years wrongfully incarcerated. We know that his story is not unique and exemplifies the tremendous failures of our justice system. It shines a light on how wrongful convictions can deeply impact the lives of innocent people and their families.