Youngkin orders Richmond to pay wrongly imprisoned Marvin Grimm $5.8 million or state funds will be withheld

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- After a Richmond man spent over 40 years in prison for crimes which he did not commit, Governor Glenn Youngkin has ordered the City of Richmond to pay him $5.8 million.

In 1975, a 3-year-old boy named Christopher Harper disappeared into the woods near his family’s Richmond apartment. Four days later, he was found dead in the James River.

After a year of investigation and court proceedings, in 1976, Marvin Grimm, of Richmond, was convicted of Harper’s abduction, first-degree murder and rape. He received a life sentence and served 44 years in prison before he was released on parole in 2019.

Almost 50 years later, in June 2024, Grimm was issued a writ of actual innocence, exonerating him and finding he never should have been convicted in the first place. This decision was made based on a review of the case, the questionable circumstances of Grimm’s trial and the re-analysis of key evidence. The writ was supported by Attorney General Jason Miyares.

This is reportedly the longest wrongful conviction in Virginia history and the second-longest wrongful conviction in the country.

In a letter obtained by 8News, issued by Governor Glenn Youngkin to Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, dated July 25, Youngkin said the City of Richmond has ignored its legal obligation to pay Grimm roughly $5.8 million that he is owed. This comes after Youngkin was reportedly notified by Grimm's attorneys.

"To date, the City has ignored its responsibility and has not responded to Mr. Grimm's counsel," the letter said.

A letter from Grimms' legal team from Arnold and Porter (A&P) to Youngkin said that the city had not yet confirmed that it will pay Grimm or agreed to discuss the issue. Further, the attorneys said they had not received a response following a letter they sent on June 17 to Avula and the city attorney.

The sum of roughly $5.8 million matches the amount of money awarded by the General Assembly of Virginia in response to the Court of Appeals' findings.

The letter Youngkin sent to Avula stated that if the city does not pay Grimm $5.8 million by Aug. 15, he will withhold funds "otherwise owed to the city" until the payment is made, citing Virginia law that grants him the power to do so.

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"Mr. Grimm deserves better treatment from the City of Richmond, and I trust you will promptly rectify this situation," Youngkin said.

In response to the letter, a city spokesperson provided the following comment:

The City is reviewing the contents of the Governor’s letter and does not have comment at this time. City of Richmond spokesperson