Georgia Deputy Kills Leonard Cure, Exonerated Black Man In Traffic Stop

Exonerated Black man shot and killed by Georgia deputy during a traffic stop after spending 16 years wrongfully convicted.

In a tragic turn of events, Leonard Cure, a Black man who had spent 16 years wrongfully convicted in prison in Florida, was shot and killed by a deputy in Georgia. The incident occurred during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 95 at the Florida-Georgia state line.

According to reports, when the deputy asked Cure to step out of his vehicle, he complied but became angry upon learning that he would be arrested. The situation escalated, and the deputy fired his taser after allegedly being assaulted by Cure. The deputy then resorted to using his baton and eventually fired his gun, fatally shooting Cure as he continued to resist.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently looking into the incident, as is customary in the state. The GBI spokesperson, Stacy Carson, confirmed that the deputy involved is white. All data related to the case will be forwarded to the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which governs Camden County, as well as the district attorney.

Leonard Cure, 53, had previously been wrongfully convicted for an armed robbery in Dania Beach, Florida, in 2003. Despite having solid alibis and no physical evidence linking him to the crime, Cure was sentenced to life in prison due to his previous criminal convictions. However, in 2020, the Conviction Review Unit of the Broward State Attorney recognized the flaws in his case and requested his release. After an independent review board agreed with their findings, Cure was finally set free in April 2020, and his conviction was vacated in December of the same year.

"I'm looking forward to putting this situation behind me and moving on with my life," Cure expressed to the South Florida Sun Sentinel after his release. In a positive turn of events, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill in June 2023 granting Cure $817,000 in financial compensation and education credits as a form of restitution.

Cure's tragic encounter with law enforcement occurred while he was driving home to an Atlanta suburb after visiting his ill mother. Seth Miller, the executive president of Innocence Project Florida and one of the lawyers who worked to secure Cure's freedom, described him as a "good soul" who cared about people and was in the process of rebuilding his life.

The loss of Leonard Cure highlights the ongoing issues of wrongful convictions and the need for comprehensive criminal justice reform. It is a stark reminder that even after being exonerated, innocent individuals can still face harm and injustice. The circumstances surrounding Cure's death demand a thorough investigation and a critical examination of the use of force by law enforcement officers.

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