A black man who served more than 16 years in prison on a wrongful armed robbery conviction has been shot dead
He was shot by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in Georgia as he was driving to visit his mother, authorities said.
Leonard Cure, 53, had been out of prison for three and a half years following his exoneration 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 spokesperson.
Cure got out of his car at the deputy’s request and initially cooperated, but became violent after he was told he was being arrested, according to the GBI statement.
The deputy used a Taser and a baton on Cure in a bid to subdue him after the man began assaulting him, according to the agency.
After Cure refused to comply with his commands and continued resisting, the deputy drew his gun and opened fire.
Paramedics were called to the scene and tried to save Cure’s life, but he later died.
The deputy who shot and killed Cure has not been identified, and it was not immediately known whether race played any role in the incident, which is being investigated by the GBI.
It was unclear whether body camera footage of the traffic stop existed or if it would be released.
Cure had been represented in his exoneration case by the Innocence Project of Florida, which put out a statement mourning his loss.
“We are devastated by the news that our client, Leonard Cure, was tragically shot to death this morning,” it said, adding that he had a job, was in the process of buying a home and dreamed of attending college to study music production.
Man who spent 16 years in prison on wrongful conviction is shot dead during traffic stop
A black man who served more than 16 years in prison on a wrongful armed robbery conviction was shot dead by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in Georgia as he was driving to visit his mother, authorities said.
Leonard Cure, 53, had been out of prison for three and a half years following his exoneration 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 spokesperson.
Cure got out of his car at the deputy’s request and initially cooperated, but became violent after he was told he was being arrested, according to the GBI statement.
The deputy used a Taser and a baton on Cure in a bid to subdue him after the man began assaulting him, according to the agency.
After Cure refused to comply with his commands and continued resisting, the deputy drew his gun and opened fire.
Paramedics were called to the scene and tried to save Cure’s life, but he later died.
The deputy who shot and killed Cure has not been identified, and it was not immediately known whether race played any role in the incident, which is being investigated by the GBI.
It was unclear whether body camera footage of the traffic stop existed or if it would be released.
Cure had been represented in his exoneration case by the Innocence Project of Florida, which put out a statement Monday mourning his loss.
“We are devastated by the news that our client, Leonard Cure, was tragically shot to death this morning,” it said, adding that he had a job, was in the process of buying a home and dreamed of attending college to study music production.
Cure was convicted of a 2003 armed robbery of a Walgreens pharmacy in Dania Beach, Florida.
His conviction came from a second jury after the first one deadlocked.
Cure was sentenced to life in prison because he had previous convictions for robbery and other crimes.
CBSNews
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