Shaurn Thomas, a Philadelphia man who was exonerated in 2017 after serving 24 years for a wrongful murder conviction, is returning to prison for another killing.
Thomas, who received a $4.1 million settlement for his overturned 1992 conviction, pleaded guilty to a 2023 murder last Thursday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Thomas, 50, was convicted for the 2023 murder of Akeem Edwards, a 38-year-old father who allegedly failed to pay Thomas $1,200 for cocaine he was supposed to sell, according to local reports.
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“Are these facts true?” Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington asked Thomas Thursday.
“Yes, Your Honor,” he replied.
Thomas has pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy, illegal gun possession, and other charges.
Edwards’ family hopes Thomas receives a life sentence at his February sentencing, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“There’s not enough time for them to possibly give him,” Edwards’ sister, Tyeisha Marshall, told the newspaper.
Thomas, first sentenced to life in prison at 20, had his initial conviction overturned after serving 24 years. A jury had found him guilty of second-degree murder for the 1990 shooting death of a North Philadelphia businessman during a botched robbery, according to local reports.
In 2017, a judge vacated Thomas’ conviction due to flaws in the police investigation, including failure to verify his alibi and problematic interrogation tactics.
The Pennsylvania Innocence Project aided in his release. Although prosecutors weren’t entirely convinced of his innocence, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office chose not to retry the case, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
