Man wrongly convicted of murder walks free after three decades

Andrew Leander Wilson is a free man after spending 32 years behind bars for a murder he said he did not commit.

Wilson was arrested in 1984 for the stabbing and killing of Christopher Hanson in Los Angeles, The Associated Press reported.

Wilson, now 62, denied that he stabbed Hanson and was released last week after a judge ordered him freed.

>> Read more trending news

Prosecutors admitted that Wilson did not have a fair trial, The AP reported.

Wilson had been offered a plea deal but declined it because he said he was innocent, KABC reported.

The only eyewitness to the murder was the victim’s girlfriend, Saladena Bishop and her statement was secured weeks after the murder.

It was also discovered that the prosecution suppressed evidence that she had filed a false report accusing another man of raping her according to research by Loyola Law School's Project for the Innocent, The AP reported.

The district attorney’s office said it will not retry Wilson, but a hearing is set for May to determine if he was innocent. If it is found that he was, he could claim compensation.

About the Author