A New Orleans man has spent more than 20 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted for armed robbery has been freed after New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams’ office decided to retry the case.

42-year-old Jermaine Hudson got his freedom on March 26, one day after his accusser the key witness in the case came forward and recanted his testimony saying he lied about the robbery to cover up that he spent money on drugs according to The Promise of Justice Initiative.

“I just thank God that it’s finally over,” Hudson told  NOLA.com. “Thank God for revealing the truth. I forgive the guy and pray that he gets his life back on track.” He spent 22 years behind bars.

Everything began in 1999 when Hudson’s accuser, who was 18 at the time told his dad he’d been robbed for cash at gunpoint while riding his bike home from work. The teen’s dad called the police and the accuser was showed a lineup a month later. The accuser would pick a 21-year-old Hudson out out the lineup.

At the trial jurors voted 10-2 to convicting Hudson. Hudson was sentenced to 99 years in prison and during his time behind bars his appeals were denied. Court records show that District Attorney Jason Williams’ office planned to grant Hudson a new trial after the office began reviewing cases convicted by non-unanimous jury.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that it was unconstitutional to allow non-unanimous convictions. The ruling applied to cases with pending appeals, Williams applied it retroactively when he took office in January when Hudson was granted a new trial.

On March 25, the accuser admitted in an affidavit that he had fabricated the crime. “For the last 20 years since this happened, I have been tortured by the lie I told,” the accuser said. He admitted he wanted to cover up the fact that he spent money on drugs. Also revealing he’d simply thrown away the St. Christopher medal he’d alleged had been stolen.

The accuser says he still struggles with substance abuse and is currently in rehab. He was granted immunity by Williams’ office. The accuser said he wasn’t aware that Hudson’s conviction had already been thrown out.

“Mr. Hudson’s case illustrates the systemic problems with the accuracy of cases decided by non-unanimous juries,” Jamila Johnson, an attorney with The Promised Justice Initiative said.

According to NOLA, Prior to the accuser’s admission, Hudson had agreed to plead guilty to the armed robbery charge in order to receive a sentence of time served.

Now Hudson who is engaged, is getting to know the children he barely knew and plans to find work as a plumber. A GoFundMe page for Hudson.

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