PHILADELPHIA, PA - A man who spent 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, was exonerated, and awarded a $4.1 million settlement for a murder conviction that was dropped is now headed back to prison for a separate murder.
According to the New York Post, the man, Shaurn Thomas was released from a life sentence in 2017 after his 1992 murder conviction was overturned. On Thursday, December 5th, he pleaded guilty to a 2023 killing. Thomas, who is now 50-years-old, was convicted of gunning down his girlfriend's friend, Akeem Edwards after the 38-year-old father allegedly failed to pay out $1,200 for the cocaine that Thomas gave him to sell.
The Guardian reported that Thomas met Edwards through an association of former inmates who had their convictions overturned. During the plea hearing, prosecutors explained that Thomas tracked Edwards down in a Philadelphia neighborhood and shot him in cold blood before later allegedly saying to his girlfriend, Ketra Veasy, that he had previously been involved in at least three homicides.
At the plea hearing, the judge reportedly seemed stunned that a multimillionaire who spent nearly half of his life in prison for a crime he allegedly did not commit would risk being sent back over a comparably small amount of cash. During the hearing, Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington asked, "Are these facts true?"
Thomas replied, "Yes, your honor." In addition to the murder charge, Thomas plead guilty to conspiracy, illegal gun possession, and other crimes. Members of Edwards family said they hope Thomas gets sent back to prison for the rest of his life. Thomas' sentencing is scheduled for February. Edwards' sister, Tyeisha Marshall said, "There's not enough time for them to possibly give him."
Shardondah King, the mother of Edwards' child, criticized Veasy for her role in the crime, which including driving in the car with Thomas on the day her partner was murdered. She said, "If it wasn't for her [introducing them], this would've never happened."
When Thomas was 20-years-old, he was sentenced to life in prison, but in 2017, his conviction was overturned. At the time, a jury convicted him of second-degree murder for the 1990 shooting death of a North Philadelphia businessman in a robbery gone wrong. A judge vacated his conviction in 2017, citing issues with the police investigation — including the failure to verify his alleged alibi and interrogation tactics involving alleged co-conspirators were brought up.
The Pennsylvania Innocence Project helped usher Thomas' freedom. At the time, prosecutors said they were not 100 percent convinced that Thomas was completely innocent of the killing, but the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office declined to retry the case.
According to the New York Post, the man, Shaurn Thomas was released from a life sentence in 2017 after his 1992 murder conviction was overturned. On Thursday, December 5th, he pleaded guilty to a 2023 killing. Thomas, who is now 50-years-old, was convicted of gunning down his girlfriend's friend, Akeem Edwards after the 38-year-old father allegedly failed to pay out $1,200 for the cocaine that Thomas gave him to sell.
The Guardian reported that Thomas met Edwards through an association of former inmates who had their convictions overturned. During the plea hearing, prosecutors explained that Thomas tracked Edwards down in a Philadelphia neighborhood and shot him in cold blood before later allegedly saying to his girlfriend, Ketra Veasy, that he had previously been involved in at least three homicides.
At the plea hearing, the judge reportedly seemed stunned that a multimillionaire who spent nearly half of his life in prison for a crime he allegedly did not commit would risk being sent back over a comparably small amount of cash. During the hearing, Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington asked, "Are these facts true?"
Thomas replied, "Yes, your honor." In addition to the murder charge, Thomas plead guilty to conspiracy, illegal gun possession, and other crimes. Members of Edwards family said they hope Thomas gets sent back to prison for the rest of his life. Thomas' sentencing is scheduled for February. Edwards' sister, Tyeisha Marshall said, "There's not enough time for them to possibly give him."
Shardondah King, the mother of Edwards' child, criticized Veasy for her role in the crime, which including driving in the car with Thomas on the day her partner was murdered. She said, "If it wasn't for her [introducing them], this would've never happened."
When Thomas was 20-years-old, he was sentenced to life in prison, but in 2017, his conviction was overturned. At the time, a jury convicted him of second-degree murder for the 1990 shooting death of a North Philadelphia businessman in a robbery gone wrong. A judge vacated his conviction in 2017, citing issues with the police investigation — including the failure to verify his alleged alibi and interrogation tactics involving alleged co-conspirators were brought up.
The Pennsylvania Innocence Project helped usher Thomas' freedom. At the time, prosecutors said they were not 100 percent convinced that Thomas was completely innocent of the killing, but the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office declined to retry the case.
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Comments
2024-12-10T09:19-0500 | Comment by: Raconteur
He beat the 1st rap, got his $millions and figured he was too rich to be caught again. He lived crime because he enjoyed it. I have to wonder what the lawyer's cut of the settlement check was.
2024-12-11T11:03-0500 | Comment by: James
Sounds like the DEATH penalty is in order! Get this scum off of our earth!!!
2024-12-18T13:04-0500 | Comment by: thomas
I'm sure he did the first one also and got off on a technicality