Moses-El Files Lawsuit After 28 Years In Prison For Rape He Didn't Commit

DENVER (CBS4)- Clarence Moses-El, the man who spent decades in prison for a rape he didn't commit, has filed a civil lawsuit against the City and County of Denver.

He was released from prison in December 2015 after serving 28 years of his sentence for a 1987 conviction in a brutal rape.

After jurors acquitted Moses-El of rape in his second trial in November 2016, he emerged from court with hugs from friends and family.

"Enjoy this freedom, you really don't know how much it means until it's taken away, especially when it's for something you didn't do," said Moses-El last year.

He was allowed to leave prison after another inmate wrote a letter to Moses-El saying he had a lot on his mind and then verbally confessed to the crime. But the Denver DA claims that inmate, LC Jackson, later recanted that confession.

DNA might have been a crucial factor in the case, but that evidence was mistakenly thrown away by Denver police.

The victim's identification of Moses-El as her attacker came after she previously gave three other men's names. Moses-El was named after the woman emerged from a dream.

The lawsuit filed last week, claims the Moses-El's civil rights were violated.