A man who spent nearly 30 years on Alabama's death row was freed Friday after a decades-long fight to prove his innocence.

According to the Birmingham News, as he walked free, he declared: 'The sun do shine!'

Anthony Ray Hinton, 58, was released in the morning from the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham. He hugged tearful family members as he walked out and was embraced by his sister, Darlene Gardner.

His sister sobbed as she hugged her brother: 'Thank you Lord, thank you Jesus.'

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Freedom: Anthony Ray Hinton (center) walked free from the Jefferson County Jail in Alabama on Friday morning after 30 years on death row

Hinton had to wipe away a tear as he spoke outside the jail following his release from prison after 30 years

Hinton says he should not have had to wait 30 years for investigators to test the gun that was seized from his home and determine he could not be linked to the crime

'THE SUN DO SHINE': HINTON'S STATEMENT AFTER HIS RELEASE Good morning. The sun do shine. Thirty years ago, the prosecution seemed deemed to take my life from me. They just didn't take me from my family and friends. They had every intention of executing me for something I didn't do. But for all of you that's snapping the cameras, I want you to know there is a God. He sits high but He looks low. He will destroy but yet He will defend and He defends me. And I just want to thank Him. I'm not ashamed to let you know that He sent me not just a lawyer, but the best lawyers. And I couldn't have made it without them. And I want to say to the victims' family, I will continue to pray for you as I have for 30 years. A miscarriage of justice, not only to me, but the victims' family. For all of us that say we believe in justice, this is the case to start showing. Because I shouldn't sit on death row for 30 years. All they had to do was test the gun. But when you think you high and mighty and you above the law, you don't have to answer to nobody. But I've got news for you. Everybody that played a part in sending me to death row, you will answer to God Advertisement

Hinton was freed after prosecutors admitted earlier this week that they couldn't find evidence that a gun found at his home fired the bullets used in two brutal 1985 murders.

'I shouldn't have sat on death row for 30 years,' Hinton told reporters.

'All they had to do was test the gun,' he said.

Hinton had strong words about the prosecutors and jury as he spoke to the crowd.

'I want you to know there is a God. He sits high but he looks low. He will destroy but yet he will defend and he defended me,' Hinton told the gathered.

'I shouldn't have sat on death row 30 years. All they had to do was test the gun. But when you think you are high and mighty and you're above the law you don't have to answer to nobody, but I've got news for you. Everybody who played a part in sending me to death row you will answer to God.'

His attorney Brian Stevenson said: 'Mr. Hinton has spent 30 years locked in an 5-by-8 cell and with the state of Alabama trying to kill him every day.'

The newly freed man added that is a miscarriage of justice for the victims and their families.

The family of one of the men who Hinton was convicted of killing was less happy. He told the Birmingham News that he was not declared innocent - only that there was not enough evidence to uphold his conviction.

'This is a difficult time for my family and at this time the only thing I have to say is God will have the ultimate decision on if he is guilty or not,' said Jason Davidson, the son of John Davidson.

Friends say Hinton's first request after his release - finding a buffet to fill up on all the food he missed in prison.

Hinton was convicted of the 1985 murders of two Birmingham fast-food restaurant managers. Crime scene bullets were the only evidence that linked Hinton to the crime. However, prosecutors said this week that modern forensic methods did not show the fatal bullets came from a revolver in Hinton's home, or even from the same gun.

Hinton grabs the arm of his sister Darlene Gardner (in the white hat) as he is greeted by family, supporters and throngs of media on Friday

Gardner sobbed as she hugged her brother Friday. 'Thank you Lord, than you Jesus,' she could be heard saying

In this undated photo from the Alabama DOC shows Hinton after several years in prison

Hinton said he would continue to pray for the victims' families, as this was a miscarriage of justice for them as well.

'They had every intention of executing me for something I didn't do,' Hinton said.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that Hinton had inadequate counsel and sent the case back for a second trial. Prosecutors had been preparing for a retrial but moved to dismiss the case following the testing on the bullets.

The Supreme Court ruled last year that Hinton had 'constitutionally deficient' representation at his initial trial. Hinton's defense lawyer wrongly thought he had only $1,000 to hire a ballistics expert to try to rebut the prosecution testimony about the bullets. The lawyer hired the only person willing to take the job at that price, even though he had concerns about the expert's credentials. At the time, jurors chuckled as the defense expert struggled to answer questions on cross-examination.

Bryan Stevenson, Hinton's attorney and director of the Alabama-based Equal Justice Initiative, said he pressed the state for years to re-test the gun, and for years officials refused. He said the case was emblematic of problems with the justice system.

Stevenson has said Hinton was convicted based on bad science because he didn't have the money to prove his innocence at trial.

'He was convicted because he was poor,' Stevenson, who first took on the case 16 years ago, said Friday.

Hinton was greeted by his emotional family members immediately as he walked out of jail as a free man. This week, prosecutors announced they did not have enough evidence to re-try him for two 1985 murders

Hinton is seen here with his attorney, who is carrying a paper bag with the 58-year-old's posessions from his decades in prison

Hinton hugs a friend, Martha Griggers, as he celebrates his freedom after three decades on death row

Hinton's friend Ms Griggers appeared overjoyed to see him as he left prison on Friday

Hinton became overwhelmed with emotion several times as friends and family members met him outside the jail on Friday

Hinton declared, 'The sun does shine' as he spoke to reporters following his release