Francis Clifford Smith, the longest-serving inmate in U.S. history and a man convicted of murder in 1950, has died at 101 — a lifetime behind bars that sparked enduring questions about justice, innocence, and aging in prison. Despite spending over 70 years locked up, he was spared execution eight times, earned the nickname “The Birdman of Osborn” for feeding birds, and even enjoyed brief respites like a 12-day escape and a Christmas Eve homecoming. His final years were spent in a specialized care program, where he lived peacefully in a nursing facility until his death from natural causes. As the number of inmates aged 55+ surges globally, Smith’s story underscores urgent calls for compassionate release and better policies to address the health and dignity of an aging incarcerated population.
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