US former prisoner, Leonard Allan Cure, who was released after spending nearly 16 years in jail, was shot and killed by a Camden County Sheriff’s Deputy during a traffic stop.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed the fatal shooting, which occurred on Monday, October 16, around 7:30 AM on Interstate-95.

Leonard Allan Cure, 53, was returning home after visiting his mother, according to the Innocence Project of Florida. The exact reason for his traffic stop remains undisclosed by investigators.

Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that Cure initially complied with the arresting officer’s instructions but then refused arrest.

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The deputy employed a Taser to subdue Cure. Despite being tased and hit with an ASP baton, Cure reportedly continued to resist. In response, the deputy resorted to firing his gun, resulting in Cure’s death.

Cure’s life took a tragic turn when he was wrongfully accused of robbing a Walgreens pharmacy at gunpoint in Dania Beach in 2003.

Although he provided a solid alibi and no physical or forensic evidence tied him to the crime, Cure was convicted in a second trial and sentenced to life in prison.

His case was later reexamined by the Broward State Attorney’s Office’s Conviction Review Unit, which identified multiple inconsistencies in the investigation and prosecution.

Cure was released in April 2020, and his conviction was vacated in December 2020.

This year, he received a historic compensation of $817,000 from the state of Florida for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment, along with educational benefits to help rebuild his life.