Family of wrongfully convicted man gets $5.2M settlement

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Family of wrongfully convicted man gets $5.2M
settlement
By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau
Updated 2:33 AM Wednesday, November 17, 2010

COLUMBUS — Barberton city officials and the family of Clarence Elkins settled a civil lawsuit in U.S.
District Court on Tuesday for $5.2 million, ending a four-year legal battle, attorneys for Elkins
confirmed Tuesday.
Clarence Elkins was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for the 1998 rape and murder of his
mother-in-law, Judith Johnson, and rape and beating of his niece, Brooke Sutton. He served nearly
eight years in prison before DNA evidence — collected by Elkins behind bars — pointed to Earl Mann
as the true killer. Mann eventually pleaded guilty and Elkins was exonerated and won a $1.07 million
settlement from the state.
The civil lawsuit alleged that Elkins’ rights were violated by Barberton officers who failed to disclose a
memo that indicated Mann was involved.
Attorneys for the city of Barberton were unavailable.

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11/18/2010 4:15 PM