INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Diya TV) — A man who spent 38 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit has been awarded $25 million, marking what lawyers say is the largest wrongful conviction settlement in California history. Maurice Hastings, 72, was convicted in 1983 of sexually assaulting and killing Roberta Wydermyer. She died from a single gunshot to the head. Hastings spent nearly four decades in prison before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
“No amount of money could ever restore the 38 years of my life that were stolen from me,” Hastings said in a statement. “But this settlement is a welcome end to a very long road, and I look forward to moving on with my life.”
The settlement was reached in August, according to court documents made public Monday. The details of the settlement remain confidential, and city officials and lawyers for the defendants did not respond to requests for comment. Hastings’ fight for justice stretched over decades. In 2000, he requested DNA testing of evidence collected from the crime scene, including bodily fluids found on the victim. At the time, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office denied his request.
Hastings renewed his claim in 2021 with the DA’s Conviction Integrity Unit. This time, DNA testing confirmed the semen did not belong to him. Prosecutors then requested the court vacate his conviction in 2022. Hastings was 69 years old when he was finally released.
The DNA evidence was entered into a state database. It matched Kenneth Packnett, a man previously convicted of armed kidnapping and sexual assault, who shared striking similarities with Wydermyer’s murder. Hastings’ lawyers said Packnett was never investigated in 1983, despite police having access to evidence linking him to the crime. Packnett later died in prison in 2020. In 2023, a California judge declared Hastings “factually innocent,” a legal term confirming that evidence conclusively proves he did not commit the crime.
Hastings’ lawsuit accused two officers from the Inglewood Police Department and a Los Angeles District Attorney investigator of framing him. Lawyers said the settlement sends a strong message to police departments nationwide.
“Police departments throughout California and across the country should take notice that there is a steep price to pay for allowing such egregious misconduct on their watch,” said Nick Brustin, one of Hastings’ attorneys.
The case highlights the role of DNA evidence and the importance of conviction integrity units in correcting wrongful convictions. Experts say such cases underline the need for accountability in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Hastings now lives in Southern California. His attorneys said he is active in his church and focused on rebuilding his life. While the $25 million settlement cannot give him back the 38 years he lost, it provides resources and recognition of the injustice he endured.
Legal analysts note that California has seen an increasing number of high-profile wrongful conviction settlements in recent years. Hastings’ case is notable for both the length of his imprisonment and the size of the award.
“This is a victory for truth and justice,” said Brustin. “It proves that the legal system can, eventually, correct its mistakes, even after decades of wrongful punishment.”
