Man imprisoned for 30 years on death row dramatically cleared and released

Glenn Ford, who was convicted of robbery and murder in 1984, was exonerated by new evidence.

15:54 12 March 2014

Glenn Ford, a man who was convicted of robbery and murder of Isadore Rozeman in 1984, has spent nearly 30 years on death row. The black suspect was convicted by an all-white jury and was jailed at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola where he has remained since March 1985. On Tuesday, Ford walked out of prison as a free man after he was cleared of all the charges.

Prosecutors have asked a judge to set aside his first-degree murder conviction and death sentence as they have gathered fresh evidence that exonerated him.

Last Thursday, they filed a motion to vacate Ford’s conviction and sentence, stating that they found "credible evidence" in 2013 that proves that Ford wasn’t present at the scene when the robbery and murder of Isadore Rozeman took place.

Ford has maintained his innocence and had filed multiple appeals. In 2000, an evidentiary hearing was ordered by Louisiana Supreme court following claims that the prosecution suppressed favorable evidence relating to two brothers, Jake and Henry Robinson, who were initially implicated in the crime.

Ford's lawyers Gary Clements and Aaron Novod said: "We are very pleased to see Glenn Ford finally exonerated, and we are particularly grateful that the prosecution and the court moved ahead so decisively to set Mr. Ford free."