The city of Tampa in the state of Florida, USA, announced that a man who spent 37 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of raping and killing a woman in 1983 in the city will receive $14 million in a settlement with the city of Tampa.

According to the American newspaper The New York Times, Robert DuBois, 59 years old, was only 18 years old when he was arrested in connection with the murder of Barbara Grams, 19, who was beaten to death and her body was found behind a dental clinic in the north side of the city in August 1983.

DuBois was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted sexual assault in 1985 after a week-long trial.

Prosecutors argued that Mr. DuBois's teeth matched what they described as a bite mark on the victim's body, and he was initially sentenced to death, but three years later, the Florida Supreme Court changed this sentence to life imprisonment.

But in August 2020, DuBois was released after new DNA evidence emerged that cleared him and implicated two other men who were later charged with the murder.

The following year, DuBois filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Tampa, four former police officers, and the forensic dentist who testified against him.

The Tampa City Council unanimously approved the settlement, with him receiving $14 million, which will be paid in three installments over three years.

DuBois said, "I am very grateful," adding that he hopes his case will be an example for others who were wrongfully convicted.

He explained that he hopes they get justice and are able to move on without having to spend the rest of their lives fighting a system that has already wronged them.

According to the lawsuit, dentist Dr. Richard Souviron "deliberately fabricated" bite mark evidence in collaboration with police officers, and the lawsuit alleged that the officers made no effort to find the real perpetrator, but instead conspired "to conjure up additional false evidence" against DuBois and force informants to testify against him.

Dr. Souviron said in his testimony that he never fabricated any evidence nor conspired with officers to convict DuBois.

According to settlement documents, the city denied allegations of "willful misconduct" by the Tampa Police Department or its former officers, who claimed in their affidavits that they never forced anyone to testify against DuBois.

In his private testimony, the prison informant said that DuBois never confessed to rape or murder and that he was threatened by officers to provide false testimony, according to the documents.

City Council member Louis Viera explained in a statement last Thursday that through the settlement, the council did what it could to correct this injustice.

Lee Bercaw, chief of the Tampa Police Department, said in a statement on Thursday that advances in training and technology have since enhanced their ability to conduct investigations, ensuring greater accuracy and due process for everyone.

One of the four former police officers has since died, and DuBois's lawyer, Gail Horn, said that despite progress, courts have continued to acknowledge this type of fabrication, which led to her client being wrongfully imprisoned for four decades.