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A Philadelphia man who spent 34 years in prison was released Monday night after a judge tossed the murder conviction against him.
Ronald Johnson, 61, had been behind bars since 1990 for the killing of Joseph Goldsby.
“Watching Mr. Johnson and his family weep as the judge banged his gavel and ordered his release, was a beautiful and profound moment,” a member of his legal team, Stephen Lazar, said in a statement.
The case against Johnson had been built around the testimony of two men who witnessed Goldsby’s murder. But nonprofit law firm Phillips Black investigated the case and learned both men had changed their stories in police interviews, according to court filings.
Initially, both said Johnson was not even present and identified other suspects, Johnson’s lawyers argued. Later, they put Johnson at the scene but in different places.
During trial, the men testified that Johnson was the man who pulled the trigger in a car in Philadelphia’s Tioga neighborhood.
Johnson’s legal team investigated and determined that police and prosecutors withheld evidence throughout the case, tainting the conviction.
“There were no fingerprints, ballistics, DNA or any forensic evidence pointing to Mr. Johnson,” Phillips Black wrote in a statement. “He was convicted solely on the false testimony of two witnesses.”
Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Scott DiClaudio issued an order for Johnson’s release on Monday, according to the Inquirer. He was freed from State Correctional Institution-Phoenix in Montgomery County later that night.
Johnson’s first plan to enjoy his newfound freedom was to visit his mother’s grave, according to Phillips Black.
“She always believed in my innocence,” he said. “I want to thank her.”
With News Wire Services
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