Story highlights Clinton defends use of capital punishment, in certain cases, on the federal level

Ricky Jackson spent 39 years in prison, many on death row, for a crime he did not commit

(CNN) An exonerated former death row inmate challenged Hillary Clinton on Sunday night to defend her continued support for capital punishment in some instances despite cases in which innocent people have been wrongly convicted.

"I came perilously close to my own execution," Ricky Jackson said during the CNN-TV One town hall event Sunday at Ohio State University, where he described the circumstances of his case and exoneration. He asked the Democratic front-runner, "In light of what I just shared with you and in light of the fact that there are documented cases of innocent people who have been executed in our country, I would like to know how you can still take your stance on the death penalty in light of what you know right now?"

JUST WATCHED CNN's 2014 piece on Jackson's release Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH CNN's 2014 piece on Jackson's release 02:08

In 2014, Jackson was freed after spending nearly four decades in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Convicted at the age of 18 for the 1975 killing of a money-order salesman in Cleveland, the Ohio man was exonerated after the prosecution's key witness, only 12 years old when he gave his damning account to police, recanted in court.

Calling his a profoundly difficult question, Clinton first criticized the states, saying they "have proven themselves incapable of carrying out fair trials that give defendants the rights that defendants should have."

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