By Patricia Uyeh

In Los Angeles, a man identified as Andrew Wilson, who was wrongfully convicted of a crime, has been released after 32 years in jail.

With  a broad smile on his face and joy in his heart, Andrew Wilson held his family on his first day of freedom on Thursday after spending 32 years in prison for a murder he denied committing.

He was convicted of murder at the age of 30 but now, he is a free man at 62. Wilson maintained his innocence since his arrest in 1984 for stabbing to death, Christopher Hanson, 21, in Los Angeles. A day earlier, Superior Court Judge Laura Priver ordered Wilson released after prosecutors conceded he did not get a fair trial.

The Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent had  fought for Wilson’s release after they pointed to numerous due-process violations.

Speaking on his release, Wilson said:
“It’s been a nightmare but I survived and got to the end of the road,”

Wilson was happy to be reunited with his sister, daughter and granddaughter.  According to the 62-year-old, he holds no bitterness because that would definitely be a waste of time.  He added: “Believe it or not, I think I’m all right upstairs,”

Wilson will now have a chance to see his 96-year-old mum, who had been fighting for his release in Missouri.