Louisiana Man Released After 20 Years In Prison For Crime He Maintains He Did Not Commit

On Tuesday, Corey Williams walked out of prison after spending two decades in prison for a murder he maintains that he did not commit. 
 
However, Williams still had to take a plea deal in order to gain his freedom. He pleaded guilty on Monday to manslaughter and obstruction of justice for the 1998 shooting death of Jarvis Griffin, a pizza delivery man.
 
At the time, Williams was an intellectually disabled 16-year-old who still sucked his thumb and urinated on himself frequently, CBS News reports. His lawyers accused prosecutors of withholding “staggering” evidence of Williams’ innocence, and a judge overturned Williams’ death sentence in 2004 on the basis of his disabilities.

“Twenty years ago, Corey went outside to hang out with friends. It has taken him 20 years to make it back home,” his lawyer Amir Ali said in a statement. “No one can give Corey that time back. But with Corey’s immediate release, we end this horrible tragedy.”
 
Williams’ attorneys asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case and reverse his 2000 murder conviction after the Louisiana Supreme Court refused to hold a hearing on Williams’ claims last October. The U.S. Supreme Court had yet to give its answer when the plea deal was offered and taken.
 
“Moments ago, I had the honor of walking Corey Williams out of prison,” Ali tweeted upon Williams’ release. “He spent the last 20 years there, after being wrongfully convicted as a 16-year-old child. In response to our #SCOTUS petition, the state agreed to his immediate release.”

Upon his release, Williams is said to have asked for pizza.