Learning English

3 men freed from prison after serving 36 years for a crime they did not commit

The US state of Baltimore says that witnesses and evidence were manipulated.

Language challenge

Which word means ‘forcefully persuade someone to do something'?

a) coerce
b) contrive
c) conduce

Watch the video and complete the activity

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The story

Three men in the American state of Maryland have been exonerated after spending 36 years in prison for a crime they didn't commit. Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins and Andrew Stewart were 16 when they were arrested on suspicion of murdering a 14-year-old boy in Baltimore. Baltimore's state attorney said detectives had coached and coerced teenage witnesses and evidence from the boys lawyers and the jury.

Key words and phrases

exonerated
officially proven not to be responsible for a wrongdoing

• A woman was exonerated of theft after new evidence was presented at an appeal.
• The judge exonerated the men and apologised for their treatment.

behind bars
in prison

• If you are convicted of a serious enough crime, you will be put behind bars.
• My uncle spent time behind bars in the 1980s. Now he's a security consultant!

wrongful
unfair or illegal

• After their wrongful arrest, they were released within 24 hours.
• He sued his former boss for wrongful dismissal and won the case..

To do

Try our quiz to see how well you've learned today's language.

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Language challenge answer

a) coerce

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