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Council Bluffs settles wrongful conviction lawsuit

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October 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The city of Council Bluffs has settled a lawsuit with two Omaha, Neb., men who sought millions of dollars after the courts concluded they were wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 25 years. The lawsuit filed by Terry Harrington and Curtis McGhee was scheduled for retrial Tuesday before a federal jury in Des Moines. The first trial ended in mistrial last year after jurors disagreed on the verdict.

The two men seek compensation from the city and two former police detectives for years in prison after their conviction for the 1977 shooting death of a retired police captain. Harrington and McGhee were released in 2003 after the Iowa Supreme Court found prosecutors committed misconduct by hiding evidence.

Federal court documents show a judge has ordered details of the city settlement sealed.