Kalvin Michael Smith released after nearly 20 years Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT SPOKE TO HER MOMENTS AGO. BET KNEE, WHAT -- BETHANY, WHAT DID HE TELL YOU? >> Reporter: IT WAS A PRETTY EMOTIONAL SCENE. HE WALKED OUT AS A FREE MAN AFTER BEING IN PRISON FOR 20 YEARS AND THE ENTIRE TIME SAYING HE WAS INNOCENT. IF WE GO TO THE VIDEO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF T JOYOUS MOMENTS THERE. HE WAS HUGGING OTHER INMATES AND HAPPY TO SEE HIS LEGAL TEAM THAT WAS OUT HERE. HE WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO RELEASED YESTERDAY. THAT'S WHAT THE JUDGE ORDERED, BUT THROUGH A CLERICAL ERROR OR ISSUE WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION LOOKED AT IT IT SAID HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 16th AND SO IT CAUSED HIM TO SPEND ONE MORE NIGHT IN JAIL. HIS LAWYERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET IT FIXED AND AS YOU CAN SEE HE WAS RELEASED. AS YOU SAID HE WAS CONVICTED IN 1997 OF BEATING JILL MARKER. SHE WAS BEAT OUTSIDE THE OLD SILK PLANT FOREST STORE. SHE HAD SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE FROM THAT BEATING AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS HE MAINTAINED HE WAS VERY INNOCENT AND HAPPY TO BE RELEASED EARLIER TODAY. NOW WE GOT TO CATCH UP WITH HIM AND TALK TO HIM A LITTLE BIT. LET'S HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. >> TELL US HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THIS RELEASE? >> IT IS THE FIRST 15 ROUNDS. I GOT TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. IT FEELS GOOD TO BE FREE, BUT THE MAIN THING IS PROVING MY INNOCENCE. >> WHAT IS NEXT? >> PROVING MY INNOCENCE. >> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE OUT AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS? >> IT HADN'T HIT ME YET. IT HASN'T HIT ME YET. MAYBE IT WILL HIT ME WHEN I GET HOME. >> ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING WITH YOUR FAMILY? >> MOST DEFINITELY. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THE ONES WHO STOOD BY ME. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND ALL OF THE SUPPORT. ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN ME. >> ANY WORDS TO YOUR LEGAL TEAM? >> THANK YOU GOD BE THE GLORY. WITHOUT GOD ALL MIGHTY I WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE IT. >> SIR, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU? >> CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE. THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH MY PREDICAMENT. >> Reporter: NOW, YOU HEARD HIM IN THAT CLIP AND HE WAS THANKING ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUPPORTED HIM THROUGH THAT. HE HAS SPECIFICALLY HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS HAVE WORKED TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE. NOW AT THIS TIME HE HAS NOT BEEN EXONERATED AS YOU SAID EARLIER BRIANA. THE JUDGE JUST ENDED UP REDUCING HIS SENTENCING AND GIVING HIM TIME SERVED. HE WAS JUST RELEASED AND NOT EXONERATED.

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