Where is Louisiana man Vincent Simmons now? CBS 48 Hours to revisit attack allegations made by Sanders twins

The latest episode of CBS' 48 hours will focus on the alleged r*pe case of twin sisters by a man from Louisiana named Vincent Simmons in 1977. After serving 44 years behind bars, Vincent is finally a free man, dissolved from all charges.

As reported by David Begnaud, the true-crime episode titled Please Don't Tell will air on the CBS channel this Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 10.00 pm ET and also on Paramount+. Here is the official synopsis for the CBS episode,

"Twin sisters say they were attacked by a Black man. Are they telling the truth or hiding a family secret? "48 Hours" contributor David Begnaud reports."

TW: This article contains instances of s*xual assault.

---

CBS' 48 Hours: All about Vincent Simmons and his present whereabouts

Vincent Simmons is adjusting to life as a free man after 44 years behind bars. He went to prison when he was 25 years old and was released three days before his 70th birthday on February 14, 2022.

Karen and Sharon Sanders, who were both 14 years old at the time, told authorities that they were stopped at a local gas station in Marksville, Louisiana, on May 9, 1977, by a stranger. This stranger happened to be a black man they later recognized as Vincent Simmons. They claimed they were with their older cousin Keith Laborde at the time, and Laborde agreed to help the man in need when he requested a ride.

Karen and Sharon Sanders later informed authorities that the stranger directed them to a dark, deserted lane by the name Little California Road. Then the man dragged their cousin Keith Laborde into the trunk and allegedly r*ped the two of them there.

Vincent Simmons, who was 25 years old back then, was arrested as he strolled down the street in Marksville, Louisiana, the day after Karen and Sharon Sanders reported being r*ped.

He claimed he was taken to the sheriff's office right away and put in a lineup. Both the twins and their cousin identified Simmons as the attacker from the lineup. Vincent Simmons maintained his innocence throughout the case, claiming that he was unaware of the twins at the time of the claimed meeting.

There was no tangible evidence linking Simmons to the crime. He went on trial on two charges of attempted aggravated r*pe less than 60 days after his arrest. The jury, consisting of eleven white men, found Simmons guilty and he was sentenced to 100 years in prison.

Vincent Simmons was sentenced to the Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, following his conviction. He began working to reverse his conviction since the day he entered prison. He finally obtained a copy of the prosecution's case file in 1993, 16 years after his conviction, and discovered information that had not been seen or heard at trial.

Justin Bonus, a New York City attorney, became involved in Vincent Simmons' defense in 2020, 43 years after his imprisonment. Bonus claimed that he made it his goal to set Simmons free.

Bonus hired a private investigator to track down Dana Brouillette, Keith Laborde's cousin. She was later interviewed by Justin Bonus, where she led off with the shocking truth that the cousin had consensual s*x with one of the twins while he locked up the other in the truck, and Simmons wasn't even present at the scene.

Attorney Justin Bonus became more confident than ever of Vincent Simmons' innocence after meeting Dana Brouillette. On February 14, 2022, a judge overturned Simmons' conviction based on information he had received 30 years ago and which had not been introduced at his trial.

Later that night, he was released from prison. Now that he is a free man, he is acclimating to new technology and embracing the simple pleasures of life.

Don't forget to catch CBS' 48 Hours this Saturday at 10.00 PM ET on the channel and also on Paramount+.