A Baltimore man who spent nearly two decades behind bars for a crime he didn't commit was awarded a $15 million settlement.

Sabein burgess won a lawsuit Tuesday against the Baltimore Police Department.

He was wrongfully convicted in 1995 of killing his girlfriend. Burgess was sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison. He was exonerated and released 2015.

In the civil trial, burgess accused two retired homicide detectives of pinning the crime on him without pursuing other credible leads.

Burgess' lawyer Jon Loevy says the $15 million verdict is among the largest in the country for a wrongful conviction case.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.