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Pontiac, Oakland County sued for $100 million by man exonerated after wrongful murder conviction

Gilbert Poole released
Posted at 1:43 PM, May 24, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-24 13:43:04-04

(WXYZ) — Attorneys at the Fieger Law firm have filed a lawsuit on behalf of Gilbert Poole, a man who spent 31 years in prison for murder before he was exonerated.

Poole was exonerated in the 1988 murder of Robert Mejia in 2021 when the Innocence Project and the Attorney General's Conviction Integrity Unit brought to light false testimony and fabricated evidence in the case, which also featured since discredited bite mark evidence.

The suit, which was filed against the City of Pontiac and Oakland County, seeks $100 million.

“Mr. Poole’s life, liberty, and freedom were stolen from him. He did not have a choice. He spent 31 years locked in a living hell for a crime he didn’t commit," said attorney James Harrington of Fieger Law. "Fortunately Mr. Poole was fully exonerated and can begin to repair his life.”