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| Ricky Jackson freed: American prisoner who was nearly executed found innocent after 39 years behind bars | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A US prisoner who once faced execution has been cleared of doing anything wrong after spending 39 years of his life in prison. | A US prisoner who once faced execution has been cleared of doing anything wrong after spending 39 years of his life in prison. |
| Ricky Jackson from Ohio spent almost four decades in captivity until a key witness at his trial admitted this year that he had lied as a boy. | Ricky Jackson from Ohio spent almost four decades in captivity until a key witness at his trial admitted this year that he had lied as a boy. |
| Mr Jackson, now 57, was only spared execution because the state of Ohio temporarily abolished the death penalty in the 1970s, while he was on death row. | Mr Jackson, now 57, was only spared execution because the state of Ohio temporarily abolished the death penalty in the 1970s, while he was on death row. |
| He was jailed alongside two other men over the 1975 murder of a Cleveland, Ohio man called Harold Franks. There was no other evidence linking the prisoner to the murder. | He was jailed alongside two other men over the 1975 murder of a Cleveland, Ohio man called Harold Franks. There was no other evidence linking the prisoner to the murder. |
| An undated photo of Ricky Jackson (AP) Mr Jackson is said to have cried in court as all charges were dropped against him. He is the longest-held US president to be completely exonerated, according to legal group the Ohio Innocence Project. | An undated photo of Ricky Jackson (AP) Mr Jackson is said to have cried in court as all charges were dropped against him. He is the longest-held US president to be completely exonerated, according to legal group the Ohio Innocence Project. |
| "The state is conceding the obvious," Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said, as charges were dropped against Mr Jackson. | "The state is conceding the obvious," Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said, as charges were dropped against Mr Jackson. |
| He is expected to be freed on Friday 21 November. | He is expected to be freed on Friday 21 November. |
| The men jailed alongside Mr Jackson have also asked for a retrial, though their petitions have not yet received a response. | The men jailed alongside Mr Jackson have also asked for a retrial, though their petitions have not yet received a response. |
| Authorities were said to be within 20 days of starting the execution of the men until Ohio ruled the death penalty unconstitutional. | Authorities were said to be within 20 days of starting the execution of the men until Ohio ruled the death penalty unconstitutional. |
| Execution has since been reinstated as a punishment in the state, with those found guilty suffering a lethal injection. | Execution has since been reinstated as a punishment in the state, with those found guilty suffering a lethal injection. |