Jury awards $16 million to Philadelphia man who was wrongly convicted of murder

A jury says the City of Philadelphia owes a historic $16 million to a man who spent 25 years on death row for a murder conviction that was later overturned.

James Dennis was accused of killing a girl in High School in 1991 and he received the death penalty.

A federal judge overturned the conviction in 2013, saying detectives and prosecutors covered up evidence that proved Dennis didn't commit the crime. He was later released from prison.

This is the largest wrongful conviction payout in the city's history.

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A spokesperson for the city told NBC10 they are exploring ways to challenge the verdict.

The city's statement read in part:

“As the municipal claims against the City were dismissed at the end of the trial, the City is reviewing this decision with the detectives’ counsel.  While we respect the judicial process, we will be exploring legal avenues to challenge this verdict.”