'Under these unique circumstances, the Court's confidence in Strickland's conviction is so undermined that it cannot stand, and the judgment of conviction must be set aside,' Welsh wrote.ĭespite serving the longest prison time for a wrongful conviction in Missouri's history, Strickland, now aged 62, does not qualify for compensation from the state, which only allows payments to people exonerated through DNA evidence. No physical evidence connected Strickland to the crime scene, the judge noted, a key eyewitness recanted before her death, and two other men convicted in the killings later said Strickland was not involved. 'Clear and convincing evidence' was presented that 'undermines the Court's confidence in the judgement of conviction,' Judge James Welsh wrote in his judgement. On Tuesday, a Missouri judge exonerated Strickland and ordered his immediate release after a three-day hearing requested by Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who said evidence used to convict had been recanted or disproven.

Strickland was convicted in 1979 of three murders, but has always maintained his innocence. More than $230,000 has been raised to help Kevin Strickland, a man who was freed this week after serving more than 43 years in prison following a wrongful murder conviction.