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Man exonerated of murder files claim against Los Angeles County
A judge's gavel in a courtroom.
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Joe Gratz/Flickr
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A 55-year-old man exonerated of murder charges after he served 27 years in prison has filed a claim against Los Angeles County, as well as a detective and the estate of another detective who investigated the case.
Frank O'Connell walked free in June from the same Pasadena courtroom where he was convicted in 1985 for the shooting murder of Jay French.
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports that O'Connell's claim seeks unspecified damages. O'Connell's attorney, Barrett Litt, says investigators withheld key evidence.
RELATED: Frank O’Connell freed after judge overturns 27-year-old murder conviction
Superior Court Judge Suzette Clover overturned the conviction in April after the prosecution witness who picked O'Connell out of a lineup recanted his testimony, saying he never really got a good look at the gunman. The witness also said he'd been pressured by prosecutors to blame O'Connell.
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