A man who spent 19 years in prison for a rape he did not commit appears to be nearing a settlement in his federal lawsuit against the city of Pittsburgh.

Thomas Doswell, convicted in 1986, filed the lawsuit in 2007 two years after DNA evidence exonerated him.

According to court documents, U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose has asked city attorney Michael Kennedy to notify her of a settlement approval. A status conference via telephone is scheduled for Dec. 8.

The trial in Mr. Doswell's lawsuit was scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

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