Wrongfully imprisoned man released after 21 years for crime lawyer says didn't happen

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — After 21 years behind bars, Blaine Smith was released from prison and received a $1.3 million settlement from the state of Ohio.

According to Smith's attorney, Joseph Landusky, the alleged crime happened in 2000 at a house in Pickerington. It was reportedly an armed home invasion and robbery.

But Landusky said the defense lawyer at the time of the initial trial did not receive pertinent evidence that would have proved Smith's innocence.

"He was sentenced to 67 years in prison for a crime that was not even committed by anyone," said Landusky. "When first responders showed up, there were no footprints in the snow. It had recently snowed. There was a dog barking right next door when they pulled up, the neighbors said no dog had barked in the last hour. There were no tire tracks, so it made sense to the investigating officers that this didn’t even happen. When they went in and checked the house out, they wrote in their report that it was too selective for them."

"They said that the victims were telling a story rather than relating a truth," Landusky said. "These are written in these reports. These reports were not given to the defense lawyer."

ABC6/FOX28 found the incident report written about the crime on February 2, 2000. In it, an officer wrote, "Upon arrival, we secured the outer perimeter, noting a lack of fresh foot prints in the snow, before making tactical entry." The officer went on to write, "The house was gone through too selectively for my taste."

"At first, I was really mad, because they took my life away," said Smith.

Smith was released on July 4, 2021. He shared a video with ABC6/FOX28 from the moments he stepped out of prison.

"I was happy. I was crying," he said. "I was excited just to get in a car ride in a car look at buildings, everything. It was beautiful."

"He had a lot to do with his own freedom because he insisted from day one that he was innocent," said Landusky.

Smith was incarcerated at age 24. He's now 49 years old.

"There were times I couldn’t take another minute of being incarcerated, but I had to keep fighting though because I knew I was innocent," he said. "That’s what kept me going."

Smith took matters into his own hands to prove his innocence, spending as much time as he could in the law library.

"I fought hard studying case law, reading the law books, just being there for hours and hours," he said. "That was my time. It was like I got to go to the law library. Every day, that’s what it was for years."

Eventually, another judge granted Smith a hearing, then a prosecutor asked the judge to dismiss his case, ending his time in prison.

"The small things mean a lot to me, so I’m grateful," said Smith. "I feel blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to be free, spend time with my family and my son."

The State of Ohio approved a settlement of $1.3 million dollars for Smith and his attorneys on Monday.

"How can you replace 21 years in prison," said Landusky. "You can't. If I offered you 50 million dollars to go to prison now and get out in 21 years, there’s no amount of money that I could give you that you would do that."

While Smith cannot get those years back, he gained a new perspective on life.

"To be grateful to wherever you’re at in life, to keep fighting," said Smith. "Small things don’t bother me. I don’t let it get to me, because I’m happy that I’m out here to be able to experience it."

Smith's attorneys filed a federal lawsuit on February 7, against a former Pickerington police officer, a former Fairfield County prosecutor, the City of Pickerington, and Fairfield County.

ABC6/FOX28 reached out to those listed on the lawsuit and only received a reply from Fairfield County.

The Fairfield County Deputy Administrator said, "It is the policy of Fairfield County not to comment on matters that are the subject of pending litigation."