This happens all the time, Rancid.
In terms of the judgement/award, I’m not sure why the city is refusing to pay him since they employed and paid 4 million towards defending Dowdy, who was the police officer accused of fabricating evidence and performing an inadequate investigation in this case.
It has been my experience that the black community is accepting of their second class citizenship and will not be surprised that the city is refusing to pay a black man for injustice against his life in the form of 21 years taken by prison.