Robert DuBoise, a Florida man who spent 37 years in jail for a 1983 rape and murder he did not commit, is expected to earn $14 million in compensation from the city of Tampa. DuBoise, now 59, was sentenced to death at the age of 18 for the murder of Barbara Grams, who was 19 years old. His sentence was eventually reduced to life in prison. DNA testing, which was not available in the early 1980s, implicated two other people in the crime, prompting DuBoise’s release from prison in 2020. Following this, DuBoise sued the city of Tampa, the investigators who looked into the case, and a forensic dentist who stated his teeth matched the victim’s reported bite marks.
The forensic dentist determined that DuBoise caused the bite, even though he did not know Grams
Grams was sexually abused and beaten to death in August 1983 on her way home from work at a Tampa restaurant. A medical examiner identified a wound on her cheek as a bite mark, prompting investigators to collect bite samples from other men, including DuBoise. Notably, the wound mark was created using beeswax. The forensic dentist determined that DuBoise caused the bite, even though he did not know Grams but was familiar with the area where her body was recovered. While the lawsuit was settled on January 11, the Tampa City Council voted on Thursday to confirm it and officially transfer the $14 million to DuBoise.
Expressing regret over the wrongful imprisonment, council members stated that compensation is the least the city could do for DuBoise. “This was a big mistake. I hope and pray this settlement will give him some measure of comfort, said council member Luis Viera, according to The Associated Press. He was represented in the case by the Chicago-based civil rights firm Loevy & Loevy, which has handled countless wrongful conviction cases across the United States. “The settlement is not only an acknowledgement of the harm that Mr. DuBoise suffered, but also an opportunity for him to move on with his life,” the law firm said in a statement.
Speaking over the phone after the vote on Thursday, DuBoise expressed his willingness to buy a house as he is working as maintenance director at a Tampa-area country club. “It means to me it’s finally over. I’m glad I don’t have to spend any more years of my life pursuing this,” he remarked as per AP. “Money, houses, cars, none of that stuff can ever restore what I lost. I don’t feel bitter about anything. I don’t want to waste my time with bitterness and pity parties.” In a statement, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said that investigators have received better training in the years since the DuBoise case, and technological advancements have made significant progress in how such probes are handled. “We recognize the profound and lasting effects of this case, especially on Mr. DuBoise nearly four decades later,” he said. DuBoise and his legal firm will collect $9 million this year, $3 million in 2025, and $2 million in 2026, according to city records.
