Maryland Board Approves Settlement for Demetrius Smith’s Wrongful Conviction
Demetrius Smith, who was wrongly convicted of murder and first-degree assault, will receive more than $340,000 in compensation from the state of Maryland. A Maryland board approved the settlement on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Smith spent more than a year in prison after being proven innocent and released in 2013. The compensation comes after years of advocacy by Smith and others who have been wrongly incarcerated in Maryland.
The Walter Lomax Act: Demetrius Smith Exonerated of Murder but Denied Compensation
Despite being exonerated of murder, Demetrius Smith was denied compensation for his wrongful conviction in Maryland. Smith was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison plus 18 years. He was later proven innocent and released in 2013. The Walter Lomax Act, which was passed in 2021, was supposed to provide compensation to those who were wrongfully incarcerated, but Smith has been denied benefits and compensation.
