Court Orders $120M Compensation to George Williams who was Imprisoned 50 Years Without Trial

Five years after being freed from prison, George Williams, now 76, has been awarded $120 million by the Supreme Court of Jamaica for spending 50 years behind bars without trial.

Williams, who was arrested in 1970 at the age of 21, spent 5 decades imprisoned for murder, malicious destruction of property, and wounding with intent, charges linked to a family dispute involving the death of a Canadian man.

However, he was deemed mentally unfit and was never given a trial.

Human rights organization Stand Up for Jamaica spearheaded efforts to secure his release in 2020 and provided legal representation through attorney Isat Buchanan.

At the time of his release, Williams’ niece, Pamela Green, expressed overwhelming joy at finally seeing her uncle walk free. Soon after, plans to sue the Jamaican state for unlawful incarceration were announced.

On Thursday, March 26, 2025, Justice Sonya Wint-Blair ruled in favour of Williams. The court ordered the government to pay $42 million in vindicatory damages and nearly $79 million in compensatory damages, totalling approximately $120 million.

The ruling acknowledged not only the unconstitutional nature of his prolonged imprisonment but also the failure to review his case for 42 of the 50 years he spent behind bars.

Carla Gullotta, Executive Director of Stand Up for Jamaica, emphasized that the state must be held accountable for this grave miscarriage of justice.

She called the judgment a critical step toward restoring Williams’ dignity and a reminder of the need for urgent reform within Jamaica’s justice system.