VIDEO: Footage Captured By Dash Cam Reveals The Events Preceding The Shooting of Exonerated Florida Man, Leonard Allan Cure in Camden County

The dash camera and body camera footage concerning the tragic demise of Leonard Allan Cure, a 53-year-old individual, have been made public by the Camden County Sheriff's Office. 

Mr. Cure encountered a traffic stop when a Camden County deputy pulled him over as he was driving on Interstate 95 near the Georgia-Florida border.

Initially, the deputy issued firm commands to Mr. Cure, who initially complied with these orders. The deputy explicitly warned him, stating, "Put your hands behind your back, or you are getting tased," as he was informed of his arrest due to speeding and reckless driving at a speed of 100 mph. 

The video suggests that Mr. Cure hesitated, subsequently engaging in a physical struggle with the deputy, who resorted to using a stun gun and baton before ultimately resorting to discharging his firearm.

SEE THE VIDEO HERE

Sheriff Jim Proctor, along with District Attorney Keith Higgins of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, decided to release this video with the intention of illustrating how the situation escalated to a point of extreme use of force.

In response to these events, Leonard Cure's brother, Michael, expressed his outrage during a press conference, emphasizing that his brother did not deserve to lose his life. 

The deputy involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is conducted by the Camden County district attorney and the GBI.

Who exactly was Leonard Allan Cure? 

He was a Black man who spent over 16 years wrongfully imprisoned in Florida before tragically being fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy in Georgia during a routine traffic stop. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, responsible for reviewing the shooting, identified the victim as Leonard Allen Cure, 53 years of age.

Cure's exoneration case was handled by the Innocence Project of Florida, whose executive director, Seth Miller, expressed his devastation upon learning of Cure's death. He underlined the emotional turmoil of witnessing an innocent individual being sentenced to life in prison, then being exonerated, only to face a tragic fate after regaining freedom.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation's preliminary report states that Cure initially complied with the deputy but turned violent after being informed of his impending arrest. The deputy resorted to using a stun gun and a baton, and when Cure continued to resist, he ultimately used his firearm.

The reason for the initial traffic stop remains unspecified. Typically, Georgia law enforcement agencies seek the involvement of the GBI to investigate incidents involving officers. The findings of this investigation will be forwarded to the district attorney of the coastal Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which encompasses Camden County.

Cure's case is a poignant example of the ongoing struggles faced by individuals who were wrongfully convicted and subsequently released. Even after regaining their freedom, they live with the constant fear of being wrongfully accused again.

Leonard Allan Cure was convicted in 2003 for the armed robbery of a drug store in Dania Beach, Florida. His conviction was secured during a second trial following a deadlock in the first. He received a life sentence due to prior convictions for robbery and other offenses. 

In 2020, the Broward State Attorney's Office's Conviction Review Unit identified troubling revelations, including solid alibis that were previously disregarded and a lack of physical evidence or reliable witnesses placing Cure at the crime scene. 

An independent review panel of five local lawyers concurred with these findings. In December 2020, Cure's conviction and sentence were vacated, and he was released.

Cure received compensation of $817,000, along with educational benefits, after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a claims bill in June. His tragic passing marks the end of a journey from wrongful imprisonment to exoneration, shedding light on the complexities of the criminal justice system.

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