Gerald Williams
Williams Cedar attorney Gerald Williams was recently quoted in a Harrisburg Patriot News article regarding the proposed remedy for wrongful convictions. Below is a portion of the article:
Philadelphia civil attorney Gerald Williams, who has handled about 12 such cases in his career, noted that
exonoree plaintiffs have to prove civil rights violations in federal court, and as long as police or prosecutors
can make a credible defense that they were acting in good faith throughout their prosecution, that’s
impossible to do. Because sometimes, in fact, these wrongful arrests and convictions are just that – the mistakes of a human run system.
If there has been provable misconduct, Williams said he has seen cases where the employing agency has
terminated the offending employees and refused to extend liability coverage for their actions because they
acted outside policy and regulation. That leaves plaintiffs seeking damages from shallow pockets.
Only about 20 of Pennsylvania’s exonerees had received civil settlements through 2017. And while the
settlements often bring bigger dollar amounts, these lawsuits also often take years to resolve, meaning
exonerees aren’t getting any financial assistance when they need it the most.
“It’s very far from a slam dunk” for the exonerees,” Williams said. “That’s why these statutes are kind of
important.”Click here to view the article in full.
The attorneys at Williams Cedar are dedicated to giving voice to the wrongfully convicted and any victims of civil rights violations. Contact us online or call 856-470-9777 or 215-557-0099 today to arrange a free and confidential consultation with an experienced and dedicated civil rights lawyer.
From our offices in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, New Jersey, we represent clients throughout the surrounding areas, including those in Camden, Cherry Hill, Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey as well as those in Allentown, Scranton, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Greensburg, Johnstown, Eerie, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.