Andrew Leander Wilson, 62, has maintained his innocence since his arrest in the 1984 murder of 21-year-old Christopher Hanson, who was stabbed to death.
A California man who spent over 30 years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit has finally been set free.
Andrew Leander Wilson had maintained his innocence since his arrest in the 1984 murder of 21-year-old Christopher Hanson, who was stabbed to death in a late night attack in Los Angeles.
Watch: Man Who Served 27 Years in Prison for Rape and Murder Was Framed by Police
With the help of the Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent, those decades of tenacity paid off Wednesday when a judge ordered the 62-year-old's release.
The decision came after Deputy District Attorney Erika Jerez said in a Superior Court ruling that there were errors in the case against Wilson.
Judge Laura Priver expressed her gratitude to the DA’s office and Wilson then reportedly thanked the judge.
“You are welcome, Mr. Wilson," the judge replied.
The following day, when he was reunited with his family members as a free man outside the downtown Los Angeles jail, Wilson said he felt no bitterness.
Wilson hugged and kissed members of his family as news crews clamored to capture the emotional moment.
"Those are my sisters right there," he said. "I’ve got a lot of sisters and brothers."
Cameras continued to roll as Wilson walked away, smiling while arm-in-arm with his family members.
Wilson plans to travel to St. Louis to spend time with his 96-year-old mother, Margie Davis, according to The Associated Press.
Davis spent decades working to right what she knew was her son's wrongful conviction.
"I wrote letters to the governor, to the police, to the Justice Department. I wrote to everybody over 30 years,” she told the wire service. “The system we’re living in, you never know what’s going to happen. But I never gave up."
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has said it will not re-try Wilson.
Watch: Man Wrongfully Imprisoned for 31 Years Gets Just $75 for His Trouble
