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News · 20 August 2026

US's longest-serving inmate dies at 101 after 70 years in prison

US's longest-serving inmate dies at 101 after 70 years in prison

Image by thawornnurak on Freepik

Francis Clifford Smith, convicted of murder in 1950, always said he was innocent and was spared execution eight times. He spent over 70 years behind bars, becoming the longest-serving prisoner in the US. Smith died in his sleep at a care home, having been granted supervised parole in 2020.

Reported by BBC · How we write briefs

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