An $80 million federal jury award was given to the estate of Darryl Boyd, a member of the "Buffalo Five" whose wrongful conviction for murder was overturned, marking what is believed to be the largest single wrongful conviction award in U.S. history. Boyd, who spent close to three decades in prison, was one of the Black teenagers arrested in 1976 for the murder of William Crawford in Buffalo, according to NBC New York. The award was handed down after a nearly two-and-a-half week trial in the Western District of New York.
Boyd's lawsuit, filed in 2022, claimed that Buffalo Police investigators and Erie County prosecutors failed to disclose crucial evidence and coerced witnesses, resulting in his wrongful imprisonment. His conviction was vacated by a judge in 2021, and he was later diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, which led to his death in 2023. Boyd has previously settled with the city of Buffalo for around $4.7 million, as reported by WXXI News.
Ross Firsenbaum, Boyd’s attorney from the firm WilmerHale, underscored the jury's understanding of the gravity of Boyd's situation, saying, "The jury heard just how many years he was suffering in maximum security prison. All the terrible things you assume happen in prison, happened in prison." Firsenbaum also highlighted the challenges Boyd faced after release, including PTSD and substance abuse, stemming from the wrongful conviction and subsequent incarceration. This testimony came directly from a statement obtained by NBC New York.
The relief for Boyd's family is tinged with a complex tapestry of emotions. "It's joy that their son or uncle or father has been vindicated. It’s sadness that he's not here to see it. It’s sadness too at what happened to his life," expressed Spencer Durland, a lead attorney on Boyd’s legal team, in WXXI News interview. The legal process unveiled a larger pattern of misconduct that marred the justice system at the time of Boyd's conviction.
Despite the historic award, the case may continue to unfold as the Erie County Executive's office announced intentions to appeal the $80 million verdict. An Erie County spokesman called the award excessive and confirmed that the county plans to file post-trial motions, which will include a request for a reduction of the jury's award. This development was confirmed by an email from the Erie County Attorney's office to WXXI News.
