$4.4M to Arizona Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder — Twice

The city of Phoenix and Maricopa County have agreed to pay a total of $4.4 million to a man who was twice convicted for a murder he did not commit.

Ray Krone, then a postal worker, was arrested for the 1991 killing of Kim Ancona, who was a bartender at a Phoenix lounge Krone frequented. His conviction, which came a year later, was based largely on the fact that his teeth were said to have matched bite marks found on the victim's body. Krone was sentenced to die for the crime, and then spent more than 10 years in prison, including two years on death row.

However, Krone's conviction was overturned two years later on procedural grounds. At his second trial, Krone was again convicted. But because the judge in his second trial expressed doubt about his guilt, Krone was spared the death penalty, and instead sentenced to life in prison.

In 2002, however, DNA tests proved that Krone could not have been the killer. The DNA found at the scene of the crime was instead linked to another man who was already in prison on other charges.

Krone, then 48, was freed in 2002. He filed suit charging Phoenix police with a faulty investigation which focused only on him to the exclusion of other viable suspects. Krone's suit also alleged mental anguish as well as physical pain and suffering. While in prison, Krone was stabbed and suffered a broken arm and hepatitis C, according to the suit.

The Phoenix City Council approved their portion of the settlement, which was $3 million. Maricopa County agreed to pay Krone $1.4 million five months earlier.

"I'm just glad for it to be over," a relieved Krone said. "I hope I won't ever need lawyers again."

Source: FindLaw, www.findlaw.com

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