Boston's Apology and Settlement: Righting a Historical Wrong
In 1989, Alan Swanson and Willie Bennett were wrongly accused in Boston of killing a pregnant white woman. Decades later, they have received a settlement from the city and an official apology. The case had heightened racial tensions and highlighted systemic injustices in the legal system against Black individuals.
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After a long battle for justice, Alan Swanson and Willie Bennett, two Black men wrongly accused in a high-profile Boston murder case in 1989, have been awarded a USD 150,000 settlement from the city. The compensation follows a formal apology issued by Mayor Michelle Wu in 2023.
Swanson and Bennett were unjustly named as suspects in the murder of Carol Stuart, orchestrated by her husband, Charles Stuart. The wrongful accusation fueled racial tensions in Boston, prompting police crackdowns in predominantly Black neighborhoods and exemplifying systemic racism in the legal system.
As part of the settlement, Bennett will receive USD 100,000 and Swanson USD 50,000. Mayor Wu highlighted the profound injustice faced by the two men and the broader Black community, promising continued efforts to address and rectify such racial injustices.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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