Four black men wrongly convicted in 70-year-old rape case get exonerated

State of Florida in the US on Tuesday officially cleared the names of four black men who had been wrongly convicted of sexually assaulting a white woman in the state. The 'crime' had been committed in 1949. The case is recognised as one of those involving gross misacrriage of justice in the US.

At the time of indictment and conviction of Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee and Walter Irvin there was no evidence against them but in Jim Crow-era Florida the men were convicted nonetheless. None of the men are alive today.

On Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Heidi Davis in Lake County, Florida granted the State's motion to posthumously dismiss the indictments and convictions.

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At the time of their conviction, the four men had come to be known as the "Groveland four" and were accused of sexually assaulting Norma Padgett in Groveland, Florida.

"I would not hate, but I will love and embrace all of those who did not know at the time that my father was a caring and loving and compassionate person that did not rape anybody. I stand here today to say thank you," said Carol Greenlee, daughter of Charles Greenlee in a press conference.

"For 72 years the families have been living with this and traveling with this journey waiting for today," said Bill Gladson, the state attorney. He was quoted by CNN.