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Uncle And Nephew Wrongfully Convicted Of Murder Freed After 42 Years

Uncle And Nephew Wrongfully Convicted Of Murder Freed After 42 Years

The two men walked free after spending more than four decades of their lives behind bars

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Two men who were jailed for 42 years have finally been freed after a judge overturned their convictions for murder and attempted murder.

Clifford Williams, 76, and his nephew Hubert 'Nathan' Myers, 61, shed tears as the judge read out the ruling, finally vindicating the pair after years of trying to clear their names.

According to reports, they are the first to have successfully cleared their names since the attorney's office in Jacksonville began looking into claims of wrongful conviction last year.

It is the very first attempt in Florida itself.

Cameras outside the courthouse caught the moment the pair left as free men, with Mr Myers dropping to the floor and kissing the ground, while their supporters praised God for the ruling.

The two men were finally set free after having spent 42 years behind bars.
PA

As he stood up Mr Myers was then heard saying: "Thank you, lord Jesus Christ."

Speaking to local media, he admitted he to nerves before the hearing, saying: "I'm nervous, you know, because I feel like I'm still locked up, he confessed. Once I get with my family and you can look back and not have any officers telling me what to do and how to do it, then reality hit me, I think I'll be alright."

Mr Williams told the press the most heartbreaking thing about being locked up for so many years was that he never got to reconnect with some of those closest to him sadly dying.

He said: "Well, my mother died while I was on death row, and I just wanted to get out and be with my kids. There was nobody but them."

Mr Myers was just 18 years old when he was convicted and said he now wants to see his family and that 'everything else is second'. He also thanked Melissa Nelson, the attorney general who reopened the case.

Mr Myers kissed the ground as he left the courthouse.
PA

Both men were sentenced to life in prison for the 1976 killing of Jeanette Williams and the attempted murder of her girlfriend, Nina Marshall - who were friends with both Mr Williams and his nephew at the time.

Though Ms Williams died instantly, Ms Marshall was able to make it to a hospital and later identified Williams and Myers as the shooters.

The men claimed they had been at a birthday party a block away from the shooting, and witnesses backed them up.

Their first trial ended in mistrial but despite no physical evidence linking the men to the crimes, they were convicted at a second trial.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Interesting, US News, crime