“It feels great, it feels great to be home… I’ve been fighting for this day since the first day that I was arrested and entered prison,” said LaVone Hill.
Hill has spent the past 22 years in prison after being wrongly convicted. He is now home in Detroit but his release did not come easy.
“I appealed this case to every court in the land from the trial court, my appellate right, Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Appeals, federal court, the Sixth Circuit, the United States Supreme Court,” Hill added.
Back in 2002— Hill was convicted of fatally shooting two people in Detroit following a dice game. His conviction was based off of a statement of a supposed eyewitness who said he saw Hill shoot the victims.
“At my trial, I knew something was fishy,” said Hill.
With the help of the Michigan Innocence Clinic, Hill was able to prove that something was wrong with his trial. Attorneys from the clinic found out that the alleged witness’s statement was false and it was actually written by former Detroit Police Sergeant Walter Bates.
They also learned that the witness could not read or write proficiently.
“There had been egregious misconduct in this case and all evidence pointed to Mr. Hill’s innocence,” said Jenna Cobb, co-director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic.
Cobb helped Hill prove Hill didn’t get a fair trial.
While it’s not known who killed the two victims, what is known is that Walter Bates, who helped put Hill behind bars, had a known history of corruption. Bates was suspended from the police department during Hill’s trial in 2002 and was later convicted of bank robbery.
“The case really rose and fell with Sgt. Bates,” said Cobb.
“Do you have anything to say to Walter Bates?” Tiarra Braddock asked.
“He attempted to destroy my life by putting a double murder on me… I never became angry, I never became bitter and I entered the prison system with the thought that I’m getting out of here,” said Bates.
On Wednesday, a Wayne County judge overturned Hill’s conviction and he was able to finally walk out of prison and reconnect with his family.
“It was a beautiful thing, it gave me new life, new meaning, new purpose, I’m just happy,” said Hill.
Hill says he is looking forward to reconnecting with his family, especially his children and grandchildren.
“My youngest daughter’s birthday is coming up November 5th and I’m going to have the opportunity to spend the first birthday with her,” said Hill
Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy says she will not be re-trying Hill in this case. She says during her time as a judge and prosecutor, she has never seen anything like this.
