Judge overturns rape conviction of Louisiana man imprisoned 46 years

Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A Louisiana man who spent the past 45 years in prison will be released after a judge overturned his rape conviction because the prosecution withheld evidence that could have proven his innocence.

Wilbert Jones, 65, was convicted of aggravated rape in 1971 and sentenced to life in prison. The Innocence Project recently took up his case and argued that Jones deserves a new trial "because he was misidentified and that prosecutors originally failed to disclose that they'd linked a different man to strikingly similar crimes in the years leading up to Jones' conviction."

District Judge Richard Anderson agreed with Jones' attorneys and threw out his conviction Oct. 31. On Tuesday, Anderson set a $2,000 bail for Jones, who is expected to walk out of prison a free man Wednesday.

The Advocate reported that Jones' relatives and supporters were waiting at the 19th Judicial District Courthouse during Jones' bail hearing Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/11/14/Judge-overturns-rape-conviction-of-La-man-imprisoned-46-years/2621510707967/