Cornelius Dupree: Texas’ longest-serving inmate later cleared by DNA evidence gets $80,000 for every year in prison; amounts to $2.4 million plus lifetime annuity. Cornelius Dupree was sentenced to 75 years for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. “I must admit there’s a little anger,” Dupree told CNN, adding, “but there’s also joy.”

Cornelius Dupree is free! Cornelius had been arrested and was Texas’ longest-serving inmate to be later cleared by DNA evidence. Dupree served 30 years for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon before DNA evidence finally overturned his conviction. Regarding the false conviction, “I must admit there’s a little anger,” Dupree told CNN, adding, “but there’s also joy.” So how did DNA overturn a robbery? There were actually two charges connected to each other. Cornelius was sentenced to 75 years for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and so had entered prison in 1979, but another charge was not tried and that was for rape in connection with the robbery. DNA evidence from that rape was able to overturn the rape charge, which in turn proved he was not the thief since the thief had raped the victim. Dupree was convicted alongside Anthony Massingill who is also cleared by the DNA evidence. However, Massingill will have to stay in prison for a separate sexual assault case and is awaiting DNA tests to prove his innocence of that other charge. For serving those long 30 years, Dupree gets $80,000 for every year in prison; this sum amounts to $2.4 million plus a lifetime annuity.