Wrongfully Convicted Man Awarded $15 Million After Spending 20 Years in Prison
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND —
After nearly two decades behind bars for a crime he did not commit, Sabein Burgess, a Baltimore man wrongfully convicted of murder, has been awarded $15 million in damages by a federal jury. The verdict marks one of the largest civil rights settlements of its kind in Maryland’s history.
Burgess, now in his early fifties, was convicted in 1995 for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Michelle Dyson, and sentenced to life plus 20 years. He maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, insisting that corrupt police practices and flawed evidence had led to his conviction.
In 2014, Burgess was exonerated after prosecutors dropped all charges when new evidence emerged pointing to another suspect. The court later found that homicide detectives Gerald Goldstein and Steven Lehman had fabricated evidence, ignored witness statements, and failed to disclose information that could have cleared him.
During the trial, Burgess’s legal team argued that detectives had built a case around weak forensic findings and coerced testimony to secure a quick conviction. Jurors agreed, ruling that the officers’ conduct violated Burgess’s constitutional rights.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Burgess expressed relief rather than celebration. “No amount of money can give me back those years,” he said. “I just wanted my name cleared and the truth told.”
Burgess lost nearly 20 years of his life — missing his children’s childhoods and the passing of close family members. He now advocates for criminal justice reform and wrongful conviction awareness.
Baltimore City officials said they are reviewing the verdict and may appeal the decision. Burgess’s attorneys, however, called the ruling “a victory for accountability and justice long delayed.”
