Detroit Man Says He Was Given a Deal to Walk Free from Prison, Only if He Agreed Not to Sue.
Gregory Berry was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit after 17 years behind bars. Now, he claims prosecutors coerced him into accepting a plea deal that would have meant giving up his right to sue the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
Berry had been held on charges related to a fatal shooting at a gas station in Detroit when new evidence emerged in 2016, discrediting his co-defendant, Antonio Hamilton. Berry's attorney said prosecutors were unwilling to drop the charges unless he agreed not to sue for wrongful imprisonment.
The case highlights concerns about coercive interrogation techniques and questionable plea deals. Berry says he was offered a one-year sentence or life in prison if he accepted the plea deal. The prosecutor's office denies that it made any such demands.
Berry was released from prison on December 18, 2020, after the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) concluded that Hamilton's testimony was unreliable and suggested significant problems with the verdict.
A judge had expressed concerns about a new trial, but prosecutors argued they could not substantiate "actual innocence." Berry claims he was manipulated by prosecutors, who knew about Barbara Simon's history of coercive interrogations.
Berry's case raises questions about how Wayne County prosecutors handle convictions tainted by Simon's tactics. Despite multiple federal lawsuits and millions in settlements, prosecutors say they can only act on evidence specific to each case.
Exoneree Lamarr Monson recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice warning that men whose convictions were tied to Simon remain incarcerated due to lost files, missing evidence, and institutional resistance.
Gregory Berry was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit after 17 years behind bars. Now, he claims prosecutors coerced him into accepting a plea deal that would have meant giving up his right to sue the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
Berry had been held on charges related to a fatal shooting at a gas station in Detroit when new evidence emerged in 2016, discrediting his co-defendant, Antonio Hamilton. Berry's attorney said prosecutors were unwilling to drop the charges unless he agreed not to sue for wrongful imprisonment.
The case highlights concerns about coercive interrogation techniques and questionable plea deals. Berry says he was offered a one-year sentence or life in prison if he accepted the plea deal. The prosecutor's office denies that it made any such demands.
Berry was released from prison on December 18, 2020, after the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) concluded that Hamilton's testimony was unreliable and suggested significant problems with the verdict.
A judge had expressed concerns about a new trial, but prosecutors argued they could not substantiate "actual innocence." Berry claims he was manipulated by prosecutors, who knew about Barbara Simon's history of coercive interrogations.
Berry's case raises questions about how Wayne County prosecutors handle convictions tainted by Simon's tactics. Despite multiple federal lawsuits and millions in settlements, prosecutors say they can only act on evidence specific to each case.
Exoneree Lamarr Monson recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice warning that men whose convictions were tied to Simon remain incarcerated due to lost files, missing evidence, and institutional resistance.
this Gregory Berry dude is literally my spirit animal lol... I mean he was in for 17 yrs for somethin he didnt do 
& now he's talkin about how prosecutors coerced him into takin a plea deal that means he'll never be able to sue 'em for wrongful imprisonment 
. It's like, totally unacceptable man! I cant even imagine bein in his shoes (if u know what i mean) 
. The fact that they knew about this girl Barbara Simon's history of coercive interrogations & still went through with it is just straight up shady 
. We need to make sure these types of cases get looked into & people like Berry get the justice they deserve 
. i'm still in shock that they can just keep people locked up due to lost files or something... it's like, what kind of system does that? 
. It's heartbreaking that he was given an ultimatum - take a plea deal or stay behind bars indefinitely 
. The fact that prosecutors were unwilling to drop the charges unless he agreed not to sue is just mind-boggling 
. And it's infuriating that prosecutors in Wayne County seem to be covering up the truth, despite all the allegations against Barbara Simon 
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The fact that the prosecutors are denying any wrongdoing but still being super shady about it is wild. I'm low-key hoping for a big reveal soon, like what really went down in this case and who knew about Barbara Simon's coercive interrogations all along 
. It's also crazy how many federal lawsuits she's been involved in and yet the prosecutors are still getting away with it? It needs to stop! 
We need to make sure that justice is served for these wrongly convicted people 
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. They're playing it like they didn't do anything wrong, but we all know the truth. This case is a perfect example of why we need more transparency and accountability in our justice system. Not to mention, how many other ex-cons are still locked up because of this kind of shenanigans? It's a travesty 
. This whole situation raises some serious questions about our justice system... how do we ensure people are treated fairly, and not just coerced into accepting bad deals? 
and now there are concerns about other men who might be in the same situation being locked up for crimes they didn't commit 
we need to make sure that justice is served and these types of cases are handled properly 
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They offered him one year or life in prison, and all he had to do was give up his right to fight back.
and now it turns out prosecutors basically gave him a deal to keep quiet about wrongful imprisonment, like a dark secret 
. That's super shady! 
the way they used coercive interrogation techniques is messed up. I'm glad Berry got released from prison but he still deserves justice, #JusticeForGregoryBerry. The fact that prosecutors are denying any wrongdoing is kinda laughable 
, like "we didn't ask you to give us your rights" 
it's hard to even process how he was treated by the system after being wrongly convicted for so long. I mean, can you imagine being in his shoes, knowing you didn't do anything wrong but feeling trapped by the very people who were supposed to protect and serve? it's like, what does that say about our justice system when we're more concerned with keeping quiet than doing what's right? and now he's trying to find his way again after being released from prison, only to face more challenges because of a system that doesn't want to hold people accountable... it's just so frustrating 
