Glenn Ford, a 65-year-old man who spent more than 25 years on death row in Louisiana, has been released after his murder conviction was overturned. He was convicted of the 1983 killing of jeweller Isadore Rozeman, for whom he occasionally worked.
Speaking as he left Angola prison, Mr Ford said his mind was 'going in all kinds of directions but it feels good'. He expressed resentment for losing nearly 30 years of his life for a crime he did not commit, adding that he missed raising his son, who was a baby when he was imprisoned.
State District Judge Ramona Emanuel overturned the conviction and death sentence on Monday, citing new information supporting Mr Ford's claim that he was not present at the scene. His lawyers said the trial was compromised by inexperienced counsel and unconstitutional suppression of evidence, including a police report and information from an informant.
The case had numerous flaws: no murder weapon was found, there were no eyewitnesses, and the original court-appointed lawyers had never handled a murder trial. Mr Ford, who is black, was convicted by an all-white jury that recommended the death sentence. The victim's family have welcomed his release.
Under Louisiana law, those wrongfully incarcerated can receive compensation of $25,000 per year up to $250,000, plus up to $80,000 for loss of life opportunities. There are currently 83 men and two women on death row in the state.
