(Salem, OR) -- A man who spent over 20 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit is suing the City of Salem and police for his arrest and prosecution. Jesse Thompson was convicted of killing 28-year-old Harriet Thompson in 1998. The lawsuit says it wasn't an accident, but deliberate based on his race. Jesse Thompson is Black. He spent 17 years on death row. The lawsuit seeks economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages and attorney fees. The City of Salem doesn't comment on pending litigation.