A black man serving more than 16 years in prison for a wrongful armed robbery conviction was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in Georgia as he drove to visit his mother, authorities said.
Leonard Cure, 53, had been out of prison for three and a half years following his release when he was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 95 in Camden County early Monday, according to a news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Cure was allegedly doing at least 90 mph in a 70-mph zone, the New York Times reported, citing a sheriff’s department spokesman.
Cure got out of his car at the deputy’s request and was initially cooperative, but became violent after he was told he was under arrest, according to a GBI statement.
Deputies used a Taser and a baton on Cure in an attempt to subdue him after the man began attacking him, according to the agency.
Leonard Cure, 53, who was released in 2020 after spending more than 16 years in prison for a wrongful conviction, was shot dead by a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia on Monday. AP
After Cure refused to comply with his orders and continued to resist, the deputy drew his gun and opened fire.
Paramedics were called to the scene and tried to save Cure’s life, but she later died.
The deputy who shot and killed Cure has not been identified, and it is not known if race played any role in the incident, which is being investigated by the GBI.
Cure became the first inmate exonerated by the conviction review unit in Broward County.Facebook/Innocence Project of Florida
It’s unclear whether body camera footage of the traffic stop exists or if it will be released.
Cure was represented in his acquittal case by the Innocence Project of Florida, which released a statement Monday mourning his loss.
“We are deeply saddened by the news that our client, Leonard Cure, was tragically shot and killed this morning,” he said, adding that he has a job, is in the process of buying a house and dreams of attending college to study music production.
Cure, along with Florida Representatives Ashley Gantt (left) and Michael Gottlieb (right), live in suburban Atlanta. Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation
Cure was convicted of armed robbery in 2003 at a Walgreens pharmacy in Dania Beach, Florida.
His conviction came from a second jury after the first deadlocked.
Cure was sentenced to life in prison because he had previous convictions for robbery and other crimes.
Cure, seen with family members, was driving to visit her mother in Florida when she was killed Monday. Facebook/Innocence of Florida Project
In December 2019, Cure asked the newly created Broward State Attorney’s Office Conviction Review Unit to reinvestigate his case, based on evidence and questions about how he was identified as a suspect in the robbery.
Months later, the Review Unit petitioned a judge to free Cure from prison, saying it unearthed “disturbing” revelations that the man had a solid alibi that had previously been ignored and no physical evidence or credible witnesses to place him at the scene of the crime. .
An independent review panel of five lawyers agreed, ruling that the case against Cure “raises a reasonable doubt of his guilt and that he is more than likely innocent,” according to court records.
In the years since his release from prison, Cure has visited high schools to talk to students about his experiences. Instagram/@gainnocence
A judge vacated Cure’s conviction and sentence, and all charges were dropped against him three days later, making him the first inmate released by Broward’s review unit.
“I can’t wait to put this situation behind me and move on with my life,” Cure told the South Florida Sun Sentinel at the time.
In August of this year, Cure, who lives in suburban Atlanta, received $817,000 in compensation for his wrongful conviction and incarceration, which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cleared in June.
The Innocence Project of Florida’s executive director, Seth Miller, said he learned of Cure’s death from his family.
“I can only imagine what it’s like to know your son is innocent and to see him sentenced to life in prison, released and … then told that as soon as he was released, he was shot dead,” Miller said.
Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor praised Cure as “a smart, funny and kind person.”
“After he was acquitted and released by our office, he visited prosecutors in our office and participated in training to help our staff do their jobs in the most fair and thorough manner possible,” Pryor said in a statement to the Sun Sentinel.
With Postal wire
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