David Camm says $5 million settlements can't make up for personal losses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- David Camm, who was convicted of killing his family and then acquitted, said he finally feels vindicated after receiving a multi-million dollar victory in court.

But one day after the massive settlement was announced, the former Indiana State Police trooper admits that money can't make up for what he's lost.

After three murder trials, two convictions and 13 years in prison, Camm filed a lawsuit against some of the key players in his prosecution.

The latest victory came earlier this week, with a $5 million settlement nearly 10 years after he was acquitted in a third trial, but Camm says it still doesn't make up for losing his family and freedom.

It has been nearly 10 years since Camm was acquitted in a third trial for the murders of his wife and children.

"The whole episode in my life really seems like a dream," Camm said. "Especially that first not guilty."

But he says the memory is still vivid.

"Then, as the judge began reading the verdicts, you know, it was, it was, it was overwhelming," Camm said.

In 2013, Camm was escorted out of an Indiana courthouse as a free man. But that freedom was not the only thing he was fighting for.

"Civil litigation was definitely on my mind," he said.

After three trials, two convictions and 13 years in prison, Camm filed a civil lawsuit against several key players in his prosecution.

"You can't wreck someone's life -- take away their freedom, their liberties, their reputation, their identity, their hometown," Camm said. "You're not supposed to be able to do that in this country."

In September of 2000, Camm's wife, Kim, and children, Brad and Jill, were murdered in the garage of the family's Georgetown home -- and despite the testimonies of 11 witnesses who swore they were playing basketball with the former state trooper at the time of the crime, he was arrested, tried and convicted in two separate trials.

"And to have that done to me by people that I knew and that I cared for, and worked with -- you know, the outrage was there," he said.

Charles Boney was convicted for the murders and sentenced to life in prison in the second trial, and Camm's conviction was overturned on appeal.

The case even went before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Illinois where the justices questioned the prosecution -- and whether or not its expert witnesses were actually experts.

One of the justices questioned the competency of Robert Stites, whom the defense accused of fabricating his credentials. The justice's opinion was was expressed in this exchange:

ATTORNEY: "I'm here on behalf of Robert Stites, a blood spatter expert retained by the State of Indiana. And we would ask that summary judgment ..."

JUSTICE: "You're still calling him that?"

The same justice added that, "If he is indeed woefully unqualified to give the opinions that he's giving, that's concealment of material exculpatory facts."

"It was refreshing to hear their remarks -- not just hear their remarks, but the manner in which they made the remarks," Camm said. "And it was very obvious to tell, based upon their interaction with specifically the Attorney General's office, that they saw it for what it was, in fact, being humerous at one point."

One of the justices even referenced Star Trek when addressing how Camm could have been in two places at the same time, which is how the defense characterized the prosecution's arguments.

"Specifically when the Attorney General was talking about leaving basketball, going home, meeting Boney, killing my family, being covered in blood, getting back in my truck, driving back to the basketball games," Camm said.

One of the justices argued that "their timelines are all over the place, like 'Beam me up, Scotty!'"

Nearly 22 years after losing his family and freedom, Camm has settled lawsuits with Floyd County, the state of Indiana and one of the expert witnesses. Before the ink was even dry on the check, he said he repaid the people who helped with the cost of his defense.

"So I didn't feel right at all knowing that some of these people -- aunts, uncles, cousins, friends -- had dug so deep into their pocketbooks to help me in here," he said. "I have this money, and it didn't feel right for me not to pay them back."

So far, Camm says has already spent more than $1 million of his settlement money repaying every single person who helped with his defense.

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