Man who was proven innocent of a crime fatally shot during routine traffic stop in Georgia

A man, Leonard Allen Cure, who spent over 16 years in prison due to a wrongful conviction, was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in Georgia. The incident occurred during a traffic stop, as stated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. According to a press release, Cure became defiant and attacked the deputy during his arrest. Although emergency medical personnel attempted to treat Cure, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Seth Miller, the executive director of the Innocence Project of Florida, expressed shock and sorrow at the tragedy, stating that Cure's family confirmed his death. The circumstances leading up to the shooting began when a deputy from Camden County stopped Cure on Interstate 95 near the border between Georgia and Florida. Cure initially complied with the deputy's instructions to exit his vehicle but resisted arrest upon learning about it. The deputy employed a Taser, which Cure resisted, leading the deputy to use it again and subsequently resort to a baton. Eventually, the deputy resorted to using his firearm and shot Cure, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The specific charges for which Cure was being arrested have not been disclosed by the police. In 2004, Cure was convicted of armed robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm in Dania Beach, Florida, despite various issues with his case that were identified by a conviction review team and a panel of local attorneys. Cure's case became the first to be overturned by the Broward Conviction Review Unit. He was released from prison in April 2020, and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida approved a claims bill in June that awarded Cure over $800,000 and educational benefits. Cure had plans to attend college and pursue a career in broadcast radio production. The Camden County Sheriff's Office has requested an independent investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the findings will be reviewed by the district attorney.