1 00:00:18,034 --> 00:00:19,931 >> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A 2 00:00:19,931 --> 00:00:20,862 HOLE OR SEWER. 3 00:00:20,862 --> 00:00:25,655 YOU'RE LOOKING UP AND CALLING 4 00:00:25,655 --> 00:00:26,482 OUT FOR HELP. 5 00:00:26,482 --> 00:00:27,551 PEOPLE DON'T HEAR YOU. 6 00:00:27,551 --> 00:00:29,724 I DON'T THINK PEOPLE NOW HOW 7 00:00:29,724 --> 00:00:31,275 BLESSED THEY ARE TO BE ABLE TO 8 00:00:31,275 --> 00:00:32,723 JUST HUG SOMEBODY THAT THEY LOVE 9 00:00:32,723 --> 00:00:36,000 OR TO WAKE UP IN A HOUSE WITH 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:37,758 PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU. 11 00:00:37,758 --> 00:00:40,172 I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO 12 00:00:40,172 --> 00:00:41,275 THAT IN 28 YEARS. 13 00:00:41,275 --> 00:00:44,793 >> I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU, 14 00:00:44,793 --> 00:00:46,206 DID YOU KILL MARCUS? 15 00:00:46,206 --> 00:00:47,793 >> I DID NOT KILL MARCUS. 16 00:00:47,793 --> 00:00:49,310 HE WAS LIKE A FRIEND TO ME. 17 00:00:49,310 --> 00:00:51,482 ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS. 18 00:00:51,482 --> 00:00:53,862 I LOVED HIM? 19 00:00:53,862 --> 00:00:56,172 >> MARCUS BOYD WAS SHOT AND 20 00:00:56,172 --> 00:00:56,413 KILLED. 21 00:00:56,413 --> 00:00:59,448 >> SHOT AND KILLED -- 22 00:00:59,448 --> 00:01:00,793 >> TWO MASKED MEN SHOT BOYD. 23 00:01:00,793 --> 00:01:02,655 >> WHEN HE PULLED THE TRIGGER, I 24 00:01:02,655 --> 00:01:04,137 SEEN THE FLASH. 25 00:01:04,137 --> 00:01:06,241 -I SWEAR I COULD ALMOST SEE 26 00:01:06,241 --> 00:01:08,206 MUSCLE AND TENDONS BECAUSE THE 27 00:01:08,206 --> 00:01:09,586 FLASH WAS SO BIG. 28 00:01:09,586 --> 00:01:10,724 IT'S LIKE AN X-RAY. 29 00:01:10,724 --> 00:01:13,482 >> COULD YOU SEE THEIR FACES? 30 00:01:13,482 --> 00:01:15,482 COULD YOU IDENTIFY THESE MEN? 31 00:01:15,482 --> 00:01:20,862 >> NO, I COULD IDENTIFY THEM. 32 00:01:20,862 --> 00:01:22,793 >> HE HAD AN ALIBI. 33 00:01:22,793 --> 00:01:24,862 >> I WAS ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY 34 00:01:24,862 --> 00:01:26,793 AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE. 35 00:01:26,793 --> 00:01:29,551 >> HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME 36 00:01:29,551 --> 00:01:32,172 PROVIDED THAT ALIBI. 37 00:01:32,172 --> 00:01:35,793 >> I KNOW FOR A FACT HE DIDN'T 38 00:01:35,793 --> 00:01:36,586 DO IT. 39 00:01:36,586 --> 00:01:38,551 HE WASN'T THERE. 40 00:01:38,551 --> 00:01:39,862 HE WAS NOT INVOLVED. 41 00:01:39,862 --> 00:01:41,517 >> YOU AGREED TO A LINE-UP? 42 00:01:41,517 --> 00:01:44,137 >> AGREED TO A LINE-UP. 43 00:01:44,137 --> 00:01:46,172 >> I COULDN'T IDENTIFY ANYBODY 44 00:01:46,172 --> 00:01:47,378 IN ALL OF IT. 45 00:01:47,378 --> 00:01:49,413 >> GREG VIEWED THE LINE-UP WITH 46 00:01:49,413 --> 00:01:51,620 LAMAR JOHNSON IN IT AT LEAST 47 00:01:51,620 --> 00:01:53,033 THREE TIMES. 48 00:01:53,033 --> 00:01:54,206 THERE'S NO IDENTIFICATION AND 49 00:01:54,206 --> 00:01:55,931 THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF 50 00:01:55,931 --> 00:01:56,241 IT. 51 00:01:56,241 --> 00:01:56,620 IT WASN'T. 52 00:01:56,620 --> 00:01:59,862 >> I FELT BULLIED BY THE 53 00:01:59,862 --> 00:02:00,206 DETECTIVES. 54 00:02:00,206 --> 00:02:01,655 >> ONLY AFTER PRESSURE FROM THE 55 00:02:01,655 --> 00:02:03,241 DETECTIVE DID HE ALL OF A SUDDEN 56 00:02:03,241 --> 00:02:05,689 SAY, YEAH, YEAH, THAT GUY DID 57 00:02:05,689 --> 00:02:05,896 IT. 58 00:02:05,896 --> 00:02:07,482 >> JUST KEPT HAVING PRESSURE TO 59 00:02:07,482 --> 00:02:08,896 GO ALONG WITH THIS. 60 00:02:08,896 --> 00:02:12,103 >> HE SAW HIS FRIEND MURDERED. 61 00:02:12,103 --> 00:02:13,482 HE WAS SCARED. 62 00:02:13,482 --> 00:02:15,103 HE WAS EASILY MANIPULATED BY THE 63 00:02:15,103 --> 00:02:17,275 POLICE AND THE PROSECUTOR IN 64 00:02:17,275 --> 00:02:17,724 THIS CASE. 65 00:02:17,724 --> 00:02:22,034 >> I HAD WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A 66 00:02:22,034 --> 00:02:23,862 MURDERER AND AN IDENTIFICATION 67 00:02:23,862 --> 00:02:25,586 WITNESS THAT WAS TRUTHFUL AND 68 00:02:25,586 --> 00:02:25,827 HONEST. 69 00:02:25,827 --> 00:02:27,137 I PRESENTED THE EVIDENCE I HAD 70 00:02:27,137 --> 00:02:28,689 AND A JURY CONVICTED HIM. 71 00:02:28,689 --> 00:02:31,413 >> A TRIAL OF ERRORS FROM START 72 00:02:31,413 --> 00:02:33,896 pTO FINISH. 73 00:02:33,896 --> 00:02:36,724 >> I WAS DEVASTATED. 74 00:02:36,724 --> 00:02:39,000 >> SINCE MY CONVICTION, I'VE 75 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,379 BEEN PETITIONING EVERY JUDGE TO 76 00:02:40,379 --> 00:02:41,517 GIVE ME A HEARING. 77 00:02:41,517 --> 00:02:42,896 NO JUDGE HAS GIVEN ME A CHANCE 78 00:02:42,896 --> 00:02:43,620 TO BE HEARD. 79 00:02:43,620 --> 00:02:46,310 THE PROBLEM IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT 80 00:02:46,310 --> 00:02:49,172 ELSE TO DO. 81 00:02:49,172 --> 00:02:53,655 >> I LOST SO MUCH. 82 00:02:53,655 --> 00:02:55,586 EVERYTHING THAT A LITTLE GIRL 83 00:02:55,586 --> 00:02:59,000 WISHES THAT SHE COULD, YOU KNOW, 84 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,241 EXPERIENCE WITH HER DAD. 85 00:03:04,241 --> 00:03:07,827 >> OUR CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT 86 00:03:07,827 --> 00:03:09,758 FOUND NEW EVIDENCE THAT 87 00:03:09,758 --> 00:03:11,482 EXONERATES MR. LAMAR JOHNSON. 88 00:03:11,482 --> 00:03:13,758 >> THERE'S SOMETHING POWERFUL, 89 00:03:13,758 --> 00:03:15,827 REALLY POWERFUL IN OUR SYSTEM OF 90 00:03:15,827 --> 00:03:16,896 JUSTICE WHEN THE PROSECUTOR SAYS 91 00:03:16,896 --> 00:03:18,793 WE'RE THE ONES THAT MADE THE 92 00:03:18,793 --> 00:03:20,034 MISTAKE. 93 00:03:20,034 --> 00:03:22,586 WE'RE TRYING TO FREE THIS MAN. 94 00:03:22,586 --> 00:03:26,448 >> FREE LAMAR JOHNSON! 95 00:03:26,448 --> 00:03:31,379 >> IT'S DEVASTATING FOR ME THAT 96 00:03:31,379 --> 00:03:33,482 THIS MAN SPENT 28 YEARS IN 97 00:03:33,482 --> 00:03:36,103 PRISON FOR A CRIME HE DIDN'T 98 00:03:36,103 --> 00:03:36,344 COMMIT. 99 00:03:36,344 --> 00:03:39,137 >> THIS IS REALLY KIND OF LAMAR 100 00:03:39,137 --> 00:03:42,000 JOHNSON'S LAST CHANCE, ISN'T IT? 101 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:56,862 >> YES, THAT IS TRUE. 102 00:03:56,862 --> 00:04:13,000 >> YES, THAT IS TRUE. ♪ 103 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:20,137 ♪ 104 00:04:20,137 --> 00:04:35,379 ♪ 105 00:04:35,379 --> 00:04:37,379 >>> CONVICTED AT 21. 106 00:04:37,379 --> 00:04:40,448 STILL LOCKED UP AT 49. 107 00:04:40,448 --> 00:04:42,241 LAMAR JOHNSON HAS SPENT MOST OF 108 00:04:42,241 --> 00:04:44,000 HIS LIFE IN PRISON FOR A CRIME 109 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,068 HE INSISTS HE DID NOT COMMIT. 110 00:04:48,068 --> 00:04:49,793 >> HOW DO YOU KEEP UP HOPE? 111 00:04:49,793 --> 00:04:52,689 >> I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. 112 00:04:52,689 --> 00:04:54,103 I KNOW THE TRUTH. 113 00:04:54,103 --> 00:04:57,275 I KNOW THAT I DIDN'T KILL 114 00:04:57,275 --> 00:04:57,517 MARKUS. 115 00:04:57,517 --> 00:04:59,551 >> LAMAR JOHNSON WAS CONVICTED 116 00:04:59,551 --> 00:05:02,206 OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN 1995 117 00:05:02,206 --> 00:05:04,344 FOR SHOOTING 25-YEAR-OLD MARKUS 118 00:05:04,344 --> 00:05:06,689 BOYD ON HIS FRONT PORCH. 119 00:05:06,689 --> 00:05:09,137 JOHNSON WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE 120 00:05:09,137 --> 00:05:10,068 WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF 121 00:05:10,068 --> 00:05:14,758 PAROLE. 122 00:05:14,758 --> 00:05:17,413 WHAT HAVE YOU LOST? 123 00:05:17,413 --> 00:05:18,896 >> TIME. 124 00:05:18,896 --> 00:05:20,344 AND THERE IS A CLOSENESS 125 00:05:20,344 --> 00:05:21,896 BETWEEN, ESPECIALLY WITH A 126 00:05:21,896 --> 00:05:38,620 BETWEEN, ESPECIALLY WITH A FATHER AND HIS 127 00:05:38,620 --> 00:05:49,413 FATHER AND HIS 128 00:05:49,413 --> 00:05:53,379 SHE WAS JUST AN INFANT THEN. 129 00:05:53,379 --> 00:05:54,413 >> THERE IS STILL AN INNOCENT 130 00:05:54,413 --> 00:06:00,206 MAN IN PRISON. 131 00:06:00,206 --> 00:06:01,517 KIERA'S MOTHER. 132 00:06:01,517 --> 00:06:03,931 >> DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD MARRY 133 00:06:03,931 --> 00:06:04,068 HIM? 134 00:06:04,068 --> 00:06:05,517 >> YES, I DID. 135 00:06:05,517 --> 00:06:08,931 I MEAN, HE WAS MY FIRST LOVE. 136 00:06:08,931 --> 00:06:12,000 >> LAMAR JOHNSON GREW UP IN ST. 137 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,034 LOUIS CONSISTENTLY RANKED AS ONE 138 00:06:14,034 --> 00:06:16,206 OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CITIES IN 139 00:06:16,206 --> 00:06:16,931 THE COUNTRY. 140 00:06:16,931 --> 00:06:19,137 HIS SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 141 00:06:19,137 --> 00:06:22,034 1994 WAS BATTERED BY HIGH CRIME 142 00:06:22,034 --> 00:06:23,724 AND HOMICIDE RATES. 143 00:06:23,724 --> 00:06:26,931 JOHNSON HAD STEERED CLEAR OF 144 00:06:26,931 --> 00:06:28,068 SERIOUS TROUBLE. 145 00:06:28,068 --> 00:06:30,000 >> HE WANTED TO BETTER HIMSELF. 146 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,344 HE WANTED TO BE THE MAN THAT HE 147 00:06:32,344 --> 00:06:34,517 NEEDED TO BE FOR HIS CHILDREN. 148 00:06:34,517 --> 00:06:36,034 >> SO JOHNSON, THE 20-YEAR-OLD 149 00:06:36,034 --> 00:06:38,413 FATHER OF TWO, WORKED AT JIFFY 150 00:06:38,413 --> 00:06:40,862 LUBE WHILE ATTENDING COMMUNITY 151 00:06:40,862 --> 00:06:41,068 COLLEGE. 152 00:06:41,068 --> 00:06:44,793 BUT HE ALSO HAD A DANGEROUS SIDE 153 00:06:44,793 --> 00:06:45,000 HUSTLE. 154 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,344 SELLING SMALL AMOUNTS OF CRACK 155 00:06:47,344 --> 00:06:49,448 COCAINE FOR EXTRA CASH. 156 00:06:49,448 --> 00:06:53,000 >> YES, I WAS MAKING SOME POOR 157 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:53,206 CHOICES. 158 00:06:53,206 --> 00:06:55,862 AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR 159 00:06:55,862 --> 00:06:56,241 THAT. 160 00:06:56,241 --> 00:06:58,965 BUT THAT WASN'T THE SUM OF WHO I 161 00:06:58,965 --> 00:06:59,137 WAS. 162 00:06:59,137 --> 00:07:00,793 >> SELLING DRUGS WASN'T HIS 163 00:07:00,793 --> 00:07:01,000 LIFE. 164 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,827 IT WAS JUST SOMETHING TO HELP 165 00:07:03,827 --> 00:07:06,724 HIM MANAGE UNTIL HE COULD DO 166 00:07:06,724 --> 00:07:06,965 BETTER. 167 00:07:06,965 --> 00:07:09,344 >> JOHNSON'S GOOD FRIEND MARKUS 168 00:07:09,344 --> 00:07:11,379 BOYD, FIVE YEARS OLDER, HAD ALSO 169 00:07:11,379 --> 00:07:13,344 STARTED A FAMILY AND WAS HOLDING 170 00:07:13,344 --> 00:07:16,379 DOWN A SOLID JOB AT A PRINTING 171 00:07:16,379 --> 00:07:16,655 COMPANY. 172 00:07:16,655 --> 00:07:21,206 AND HE, TOO, SOLD DRUGS ON THE 173 00:07:21,206 --> 00:07:21,448 SIDE. 174 00:07:21,448 --> 00:07:24,068 >> MARKUS WAS LIKE THE PREPPY 175 00:07:24,068 --> 00:07:24,586 TYPE. 176 00:07:24,586 --> 00:07:25,724 HE WASN'T VERY STREET. 177 00:07:25,724 --> 00:07:28,379 >> HE WAS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD 178 00:07:28,379 --> 00:07:28,689 GUY. 179 00:07:28,689 --> 00:07:30,965 >> GREG ELKING, THEN 30, HAD 180 00:07:30,965 --> 00:07:34,275 WORKED BRIEFLY WITH BOYD AT THE 181 00:07:34,275 --> 00:07:35,655 PRINTING COMPANY. 182 00:07:35,655 --> 00:07:37,379 ELKING ADMITS HE WAS AN 183 00:07:37,379 --> 00:07:38,724 OCCASIONAL CUSTOMER. 184 00:07:38,724 --> 00:07:41,827 ON THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 30th, 185 00:07:41,827 --> 00:07:44,586 1994, HE WANTED TO GET HIGH. 186 00:07:44,586 --> 00:07:48,206 BUT BOYD SAID NO. 187 00:07:48,206 --> 00:07:48,965 >> HE WAS LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO 188 00:07:48,965 --> 00:07:49,931 GO TO WORK TOMORROW. 189 00:07:49,931 --> 00:07:51,655 WE ACTUALLY SAT DOWN ON THE 190 00:07:51,655 --> 00:07:54,517 FRONT PORCH UP ON THE STAIRS. 191 00:07:54,517 --> 00:07:56,103 >> MARKUS BOYD'S STREET, 192 00:07:56,103 --> 00:07:57,758 LOUISIANA AVENUE, WAS EMPTY. 193 00:07:57,758 --> 00:08:00,000 HIS GIRLFRIEND AND THEIR BABY 194 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:00,931 WERE UPSTAIRS. 195 00:08:00,931 --> 00:08:02,965 >> ALL HE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE 196 00:08:02,965 --> 00:08:05,482 TIME WAS ABOUT HIS BABY AND 197 00:08:05,482 --> 00:08:06,448 ABOUT HIS GIRLFRIEND. 198 00:08:06,448 --> 00:08:07,724 HE'S MAKING ME LAUGH. 199 00:08:07,724 --> 00:08:09,620 WE'RE KIND OF LAUGHING AT EACH 200 00:08:09,620 --> 00:08:09,827 OTHER. 201 00:08:09,827 --> 00:08:11,896 ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE WENT 202 00:08:11,896 --> 00:08:12,103 SERIOUS. 203 00:08:12,103 --> 00:08:13,758 HE WAS LIKE, OH, NO. 204 00:08:13,758 --> 00:08:16,620 >> FROM THE NARROW PATHWAY NEXT 205 00:08:16,620 --> 00:08:18,137 TO BOYD'S APARTMENT, TWO MEN 206 00:08:18,137 --> 00:08:21,586 CAME OUT OF NOWHERE, BARELY 207 00:08:21,586 --> 00:08:22,862 VISIBLE IN THE DIM LIGHT. 208 00:08:22,862 --> 00:08:24,482 >> THESE GUYS HAD COMPLETELY 209 00:08:24,482 --> 00:08:27,793 DARK CLOTHING AND THEY HAD MASKS 210 00:08:27,793 --> 00:08:27,965 ON. 211 00:08:27,965 --> 00:08:30,379 >> BLACK MASKS LIKE THIS ONE. 212 00:08:30,379 --> 00:08:31,793 AND THEY HAD GUNS. 213 00:08:31,793 --> 00:08:35,275 THE MEN FLEW UP THE PORCH STEPS, 214 00:08:35,275 --> 00:08:36,136 HE SAYS. 215 00:08:36,136 --> 00:08:37,620 ONE ATTACKED MARKUS BOYD. 216 00:08:37,620 --> 00:08:40,724 >> AND HE'S WRESTLING WITH 217 00:08:40,724 --> 00:08:40,965 MARKUS. 218 00:08:40,965 --> 00:08:43,688 >> THE SECOND GUNMAN GRABBED 219 00:08:43,688 --> 00:08:43,931 ELKING. 220 00:08:43,931 --> 00:08:45,551 >> AND HE SAID GET UP. 221 00:08:45,551 --> 00:08:46,689 I REMEMBER LOOKING AT HIM RIGHT 222 00:08:46,689 --> 00:08:48,827 IN THE GUY'S EYES. 223 00:08:48,827 --> 00:08:51,000 THE OTHER GUY, I SEEN HIM PUT 224 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,896 THE GUN RIGHT UP TO MARKUS' NECK 225 00:08:53,896 --> 00:08:54,068 AREA. 226 00:08:54,068 --> 00:08:56,034 WHEN HE PULLED THE TRIGGER, I 227 00:08:56,034 --> 00:08:59,482 SEEN THE FLASH. 228 00:08:59,482 --> 00:09:00,862 BOOM! 229 00:09:00,862 --> 00:09:03,620 THE THIRD SHOT. 230 00:09:03,620 --> 00:09:06,689 I KIND OF SEEN MARKUS' SOUL JUST 231 00:09:06,689 --> 00:09:07,068 G. 232 00:09:07,068 --> 00:09:11,724 AND I KNEW HE WAS DEAD. 233 00:09:11,724 --> 00:09:13,724 >> BOTH MEN CONTINUED TO SHOOT 234 00:09:13,724 --> 00:09:14,275 BOYD. 235 00:09:14,275 --> 00:09:17,413 THEN VANISHED THE SAME WAY THEY 236 00:09:17,413 --> 00:09:19,241 HAD APPEARED, SPRINTING DOWN THE 237 00:09:19,241 --> 00:09:22,103 DARK PATHWAY, SURPRISINGLY, THE 238 00:09:22,103 --> 00:09:25,827 SHOOTERS SPARED THE ONLY 239 00:09:25,827 --> 00:09:26,103 EYEWITNESS. 240 00:09:26,103 --> 00:09:28,482 >> YOU SAY YOU LOOKED INTO ONE 241 00:09:28,482 --> 00:09:29,344 SHOOTER'S EYES. 242 00:09:29,344 --> 00:09:31,137 >> ALL I SEEN WAS THE EYES. 243 00:09:31,137 --> 00:09:32,482 >> COULD YOU TELL WHETHER HE WAS 244 00:09:32,482 --> 00:09:33,517 WHITE OR BLACK? 245 00:09:33,517 --> 00:09:35,275 >> I KNEW HE WAS BLACK. 246 00:09:35,275 --> 00:09:37,482 >> WHEN THE GUNMEN WERE GONE, 247 00:09:37,482 --> 00:09:39,620 GREG ELKING TOOK OFF IN THE 248 00:09:39,620 --> 00:09:41,137 OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS HE RAN 249 00:09:41,137 --> 00:09:44,034 AWAY, HE SAID HE COULD HEAR 250 00:09:44,034 --> 00:09:47,517 MARKUS BOYD'S GIRLFRIEND 251 00:09:47,517 --> 00:09:47,827 SCREAMING. 252 00:09:47,827 --> 00:09:49,310 >> IT'S STILL HARD TO TALK ABOUT 253 00:09:49,310 --> 00:09:57,586 IT, ISN'T IT? 254 00:09:57,586 --> 00:09:58,931 AND WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THIS 255 00:09:58,931 --> 00:09:59,206 HAPPENED? 256 00:09:59,206 --> 00:10:01,310 >> I WAS ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY. 257 00:10:01,310 --> 00:10:05,586 >> JOHNSON SAYS HE WAS WITH HIS 258 00:10:05,586 --> 00:10:08,000 GIRLFRIEND, ERIKA, AND THEIR 259 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,310 5-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER VISITING 260 00:10:09,310 --> 00:10:09,655 FRIENDS. 261 00:10:09,655 --> 00:10:11,724 ERIKA SAYS THE ENTIRE EVENING 262 00:10:11,724 --> 00:10:13,620 LAMAR JOHNSON WAS OUT OF HER 263 00:10:13,620 --> 00:10:14,689 SIGHT JUST ONCE. 264 00:10:14,689 --> 00:10:15,758 >> SO WE WERE THERE BECAUSE HE 265 00:10:15,758 --> 00:10:18,034 WAS MAKING A TRANSACTION. 266 00:10:18,034 --> 00:10:19,379 SOMEONE WAS COMING. 267 00:10:19,379 --> 00:10:21,827 AND SO HE WAS JUST LIKE, I'LL BE 268 00:10:21,827 --> 00:10:22,137 RIGHT BACK. 269 00:10:22,137 --> 00:10:24,413 >> JOHNSON LEFT THE HOUSE, ERIKA 270 00:10:24,413 --> 00:10:27,275 SAYS, JUST AS SHE BEGAN CHANGING 271 00:10:27,275 --> 00:10:29,034 KIERA'S DIAPER. 272 00:10:29,034 --> 00:10:32,068 >> AND I WENT OUT TO MEET 273 00:10:32,068 --> 00:10:33,620 SOMEBODY THAT I WAS DEALING 274 00:10:33,620 --> 00:10:33,827 WITH. 275 00:10:33,827 --> 00:10:35,482 >> HIS CUSTOMER PICKED HIM UP AT 276 00:10:35,482 --> 00:10:37,724 THE CORNER OF 39th AND 277 00:10:37,724 --> 00:10:39,000 LAFAYETTE, JOHNSON SAYS. 278 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,310 THEY COMPLETED A QUICK 279 00:10:41,310 --> 00:10:42,655 TRANSACTION WHILE DRIVING AROUND 280 00:10:42,655 --> 00:10:43,344 THE BLOCK. 281 00:10:43,344 --> 00:10:45,689 >> BY THE TIME I FINISHED 282 00:10:45,689 --> 00:10:48,896 CHANGING HER DIAPER, AND CLEANED 283 00:10:48,896 --> 00:10:50,068 EVERYTHING UP, HE WAS COMING 284 00:10:50,068 --> 00:10:51,310 BACK UP THE STEPS. 285 00:10:51,310 --> 00:10:52,655 >> AND HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE? 286 00:10:52,655 --> 00:10:54,862 >> THREE TO FIVE MINUTES. 287 00:10:54,862 --> 00:10:58,310 AND HE'S TALKING, YOU KNOW. 288 00:10:58,310 --> 00:11:00,137 NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. 289 00:11:00,137 --> 00:11:03,172 HE WAS JUST NORMAL. 290 00:11:03,172 --> 00:11:04,931 >> MINUTES LATER, JOHNSON GOT A 291 00:11:04,931 --> 00:11:07,137 CALL THAT MARKUS BOYD HAD BEEN 292 00:11:07,137 --> 00:11:07,379 SHOT. 293 00:11:07,379 --> 00:11:09,793 THE NEXT DAY, HE LEARNED THAT 294 00:11:09,793 --> 00:11:11,758 BOYD HAD DIED. 295 00:11:11,758 --> 00:11:14,310 JOHNSON'S OWN LIFE BEGAN TO 296 00:11:14,310 --> 00:11:14,586 UNRAVEL. 297 00:11:14,586 --> 00:11:16,172 ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS, WHEN 298 00:11:16,172 --> 00:11:18,241 THEY ASKED BOYD'S GIRLFRIEND 299 00:11:18,241 --> 00:11:20,689 WHOM SHE SUSPECTED, ONLY ONE 300 00:11:20,689 --> 00:11:23,931 NAME CAME TO MIND. 301 00:11:23,931 --> 00:11:25,000 LAMAR JOHNSON. 302 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,034 SHE THOUGHT THE LONG-TIME 303 00:11:27,034 --> 00:11:30,206 FRIENDS MIGHT HAVE HAD A 304 00:11:30,206 --> 00:11:30,517 FALLING-OUT. 305 00:11:30,517 --> 00:11:32,413 >> MARKUS AND I NEVER HAD AN 306 00:11:32,413 --> 00:11:33,275 ARGUMENT OR A FIGHT. 307 00:11:33,275 --> 00:11:34,344 I LOVED HIM. 308 00:11:34,344 --> 00:11:36,241 I HAD NO REASON TO WANT TO HURT 309 00:11:36,241 --> 00:11:36,448 HIM. 310 00:11:36,448 --> 00:11:38,103 >> YOU AGREED TO TALK TO THE 311 00:11:38,103 --> 00:11:39,862 COPS WITHOUT A LAWYER. 312 00:11:39,862 --> 00:11:41,310 THAT WAS RISKY, WASN'T IT? 313 00:11:41,310 --> 00:11:45,034 >> WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING 314 00:11:45,034 --> 00:11:57,379 TO HIDE. 315 00:11:57,379 --> 00:11:59,413 >>> FOUR DAYS AFTER MARKUS BOYD 316 00:11:59,413 --> 00:12:02,379 WAS SLOT TO DEATH ON HIS FRONT 317 00:12:02,379 --> 00:12:03,310 PORCH, ST. LOUIS POLICE TRACKED 318 00:12:03,310 --> 00:12:06,275 DOWN THE ONLY EYEWITNESS TO THE 319 00:12:06,275 --> 00:12:06,517 MURDER. 320 00:12:06,517 --> 00:12:07,620 GREG ELKING. 321 00:12:07,620 --> 00:12:08,965 >> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT 322 00:12:08,965 --> 00:12:10,379 YOU WENT THROUGH THAT NIGHT? 323 00:12:10,379 --> 00:12:12,172 >> IT WAS THE MOST HORRIFYING 324 00:12:12,172 --> 00:12:14,000 THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. 325 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,000 >> SHAKEN AND SCARED, HE SAID HE 326 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,068 WAS INITIALLY RELUCTANT TO TALK 327 00:12:18,068 --> 00:12:20,551 UNTIL HE MET LEAD INVESTIGATOR 328 00:12:20,551 --> 00:12:21,931 JOE NICKERSON. 329 00:12:21,931 --> 00:12:24,275 >> I THOUGHT HE WAS THIS AMAZING 330 00:12:24,275 --> 00:12:24,586 DUDE. 331 00:12:24,586 --> 00:12:32,034 I THOUGHT HE WAS LIKE NICK 332 00:12:32,034 --> 00:12:32,586 NOLTE. 333 00:12:32,586 --> 00:12:33,379 IT WAS AWESOME. 334 00:12:33,379 --> 00:12:34,413 IT WAS JUST SOMEONE I 335 00:12:34,413 --> 00:12:36,172 IMMEDIATELY ADMIRED. 336 00:12:36,172 --> 00:12:37,551 >> ELKING SAID EVEN THOUGH THE 337 00:12:37,551 --> 00:12:39,241 SHOOTERS WERE WEARING MASKS, HE 338 00:12:39,241 --> 00:12:40,862 COULD TELL THEY WERE 339 00:12:40,862 --> 00:12:41,896 DARK-SKINNED BLACK MEN. 340 00:12:41,896 --> 00:12:43,965 HE ONLY SAW THE EYES OF ONE OF 341 00:12:43,965 --> 00:12:44,551 THEM. 342 00:12:44,551 --> 00:12:47,000 STILL, NICKERSON INSISTED ON 343 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,793 SHOWING HIM SEVERAL PHOTOS. 344 00:12:48,793 --> 00:12:51,241 ONE, HE SAYS, STOOD OUT. 345 00:12:51,241 --> 00:12:52,896 >> I SAID THESE EYES. 346 00:12:52,896 --> 00:12:54,724 THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THESE 347 00:12:54,724 --> 00:12:55,000 EYES. 348 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:55,862 THAT'S ALL I SAID. 349 00:12:55,862 --> 00:12:58,758 >> IT WAS A PHOTO OF LAMAR 350 00:12:58,758 --> 00:12:59,000 JOHNSON. 351 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,517 >> AND IMMEDIATELY, HE SAID 352 00:13:00,517 --> 00:13:02,344 WOULD YOU SIGN THE BACK OF IT? 353 00:13:02,344 --> 00:13:03,517 AND I SAID NO. 354 00:13:03,517 --> 00:13:05,172 I DON'T WANT TO SIGN THE BACK OF 355 00:13:05,172 --> 00:13:05,344 IT. 356 00:13:05,344 --> 00:13:06,103 >> WHY NOT? 357 00:13:06,103 --> 00:13:07,482 >> I DIDN'T WANT NOTHING TO DO 358 00:13:07,482 --> 00:13:08,689 WITH THIS. 359 00:13:08,689 --> 00:13:11,172 I COULDN'T PICK OUT NO MURDERER. 360 00:13:11,172 --> 00:13:12,655 AND I DON'T EVEN THINK, I DIDN'T 361 00:13:12,655 --> 00:13:14,310 SAY HE WAS THE MURDERER. 362 00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:17,241 >> NICKERSON, ELKING SAID, 363 00:13:17,241 --> 00:13:18,896 WARNED HIM HIS LIFE COULD BE AT 364 00:13:18,896 --> 00:13:20,551 RISK, TELLING HIM THAT LAMAR 365 00:13:20,551 --> 00:13:23,103 JOHNSON WAS A DANGEROUS MAN WHO 366 00:13:23,103 --> 00:13:24,551 MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AS 367 00:13:24,551 --> 00:13:28,413 MANY AS SIX MURDERS. 368 00:13:28,413 --> 00:13:30,103 ATTORNEY LINDSAY RUNNELS SAID 369 00:13:30,103 --> 00:13:31,413 NONE OF THAT WAS TRUE. 370 00:13:31,413 --> 00:13:33,310 >> IF THEY HAD ANY EVIDENCE 371 00:13:33,310 --> 00:13:35,724 WHATSOEVER, THEN OR NOW, LAMAR 372 00:13:35,724 --> 00:13:37,275 JOHNSON WOULD BE CHARGED WITH A 373 00:13:37,275 --> 00:13:37,620 CRIME. 374 00:13:37,620 --> 00:13:39,965 >> RUNNELS BEGAN WORKING ON 375 00:13:39,965 --> 00:13:42,137 JOHNSON'S CASE WHEN SHE WAS IN 376 00:13:42,137 --> 00:13:42,448 LAW SCHOOL. 377 00:13:42,448 --> 00:13:44,000 >> DOES HE HAVE A RECORD THE A 378 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:44,793 ALL FOR VIOLENCE? 379 00:13:44,793 --> 00:13:45,896 >> NO. 380 00:13:45,896 --> 00:13:48,586 HIS RECORD IS AND WAS MINOR. 381 00:13:48,586 --> 00:13:49,862 A POSSESSION CHARGE. 382 00:13:49,862 --> 00:13:50,793 POSSESSION OF COCAINE. 383 00:13:50,793 --> 00:13:53,413 AND THEN A TAMPERING WITH A 384 00:13:53,413 --> 00:13:54,965 LICENSE PLATE. 385 00:13:54,965 --> 00:13:56,862 >> SHE SAID JOHNSON RECEIVED 386 00:13:56,862 --> 00:13:58,689 PROBATION FOR THOSE OFFENSES. 387 00:13:58,689 --> 00:14:01,655 STILL, SHE SAYS, COPS, AWARE OF 388 00:14:01,655 --> 00:14:03,586 HIS CRIMINAL RECORD, KEPT HIM 389 00:14:03,586 --> 00:14:06,482 AND YOUNG MEN LIKE HIM ON THEIR 390 00:14:06,482 --> 00:14:06,896 RADAR. 391 00:14:06,896 --> 00:14:09,620 >> JUST THE USUAL SUSPECTS TYPE 392 00:14:09,620 --> 00:14:11,551 OF ROUND THEM UP AND EVERYBODY 393 00:14:11,551 --> 00:14:12,344 IS GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION. 394 00:14:12,344 --> 00:14:14,689 >> BUT AFTER THE MURDER ON 395 00:14:14,689 --> 00:14:17,172 LOUISIANA AVENUE, POLICE HAD A 396 00:14:17,172 --> 00:14:19,000 NEW REASON TO FOCUS ON LAMAR 397 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:19,310 JOHNSON. 398 00:14:19,310 --> 00:14:21,206 THE VICTIM'S GIRLFRIEND HAD 399 00:14:21,206 --> 00:14:23,068 GIVEN THEM HIS NAME AND NOW THEY 400 00:14:23,068 --> 00:14:27,827 HAVE WHAT THEY SAID WAS A PHOTO 401 00:14:27,827 --> 00:14:28,172 IDENTIFICATION. 402 00:14:28,172 --> 00:14:31,275 ON THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 3, 403 00:14:31,275 --> 00:14:33,965 1994, FOUR DAYS AFTER THE 404 00:14:33,965 --> 00:14:35,137 MURDER, THEY ARRESTED JOHNSON 405 00:14:35,137 --> 00:14:38,275 ALONG WITH HIS FRIEND PHILLIP 406 00:14:38,275 --> 00:14:38,551 CAMPBELL. 407 00:14:38,551 --> 00:14:40,517 >> I COULDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND 408 00:14:40,517 --> 00:14:40,689 WHY. 409 00:14:40,689 --> 00:14:42,379 WHY WOULD THEY ARREST YOU? 410 00:14:42,379 --> 00:14:44,275 >> JOHNSON'S GIRLFRIEND AT THE 411 00:14:44,275 --> 00:14:48,068 TIME AND HIS ALIBI FOR THE NIGHT 412 00:14:48,068 --> 00:14:49,793 OF THE MURDER, ERIKA BARROW. 413 00:14:49,793 --> 00:14:52,482 >> I BEGGED HIM TO GET A LAWYER. 414 00:14:52,482 --> 00:14:54,344 AND ALL HE KEPT SAYING IS, I 415 00:14:54,344 --> 00:14:56,448 DON'T WANT MY MOM AND STEPFATHER 416 00:14:56,448 --> 00:14:57,758 PAYING ALL THE MONEY, ALL THIS 417 00:14:57,758 --> 00:14:59,137 MONEY FOR A LAWYER. 418 00:14:59,137 --> 00:15:01,241 I DIDN'T DO IT. 419 00:15:01,241 --> 00:15:03,275 >> I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO 420 00:15:03,275 --> 00:15:03,620 HIDE. 421 00:15:03,620 --> 00:15:05,275 SO I BELIEVED IN THE SYSTEM. 422 00:15:05,275 --> 00:15:06,793 I BELIEVED IF I EXPLAINED TO 423 00:15:06,793 --> 00:15:09,206 THEM WHAT I KNEW AND WHERE I 424 00:15:09,206 --> 00:15:11,862 WAS, THAT THAT WOULD SORT ITSELF 425 00:15:11,862 --> 00:15:12,413 OUT. 426 00:15:12,413 --> 00:15:14,482 >> AT THE POLICE STATION, 427 00:15:14,482 --> 00:15:16,758 JOHNSON AGREED TO A LIVE LINEUP. 428 00:15:16,758 --> 00:15:18,724 >> I WANTED TO BE AS COOPERATIVE 429 00:15:18,724 --> 00:15:19,931 AS I COULD. 430 00:15:19,931 --> 00:15:24,620 I WANTED THEM TO INVESTIGATE AND 431 00:15:24,620 --> 00:15:26,275 TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSE I 432 00:15:26,275 --> 00:15:27,379 WAS AT THAT NIGHT. 433 00:15:27,379 --> 00:15:28,862 I EXPECTED THEY WOULD REACH THE 434 00:15:28,862 --> 00:15:30,000 CONCLUSION THAT I DIDN'T HAVE 435 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:31,241 ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. 436 00:15:31,241 --> 00:15:32,482 >> BUT INVESTIGATORS NEVER SPOKE 437 00:15:32,482 --> 00:15:34,137 TO ANYONE WHO HAD BEEN WITH 438 00:15:34,137 --> 00:15:36,103 JOHNSON ON THE NIGHT OF THE 439 00:15:36,103 --> 00:15:36,793 SHOOTING. 440 00:15:36,793 --> 00:15:38,551 NOT EVEN ERIKA BARROW. 441 00:15:38,551 --> 00:15:40,551 THEY PUT HIM IN THAT LINEUP. 442 00:15:40,551 --> 00:15:42,655 HE'S THE THIRD MAN IN THIS 443 00:15:42,655 --> 00:15:43,103 PHOTO. 444 00:15:43,103 --> 00:15:47,551 AND BROUGHT IN ELKING TO VIEW 445 00:15:47,551 --> 00:15:47,758 IT. 446 00:15:47,758 --> 00:15:48,517 >> COULD YOU IDENTIFY ANYONE? 447 00:15:48,517 --> 00:15:49,931 >> NO. 448 00:15:49,931 --> 00:15:51,517 >> ALTOGETHER, HE VIEWED THE 449 00:15:51,517 --> 00:15:53,517 LINEUP THREE TIMES AND NEVER 450 00:15:53,517 --> 00:15:54,482 PICKEDJOHNSON. 451 00:15:54,482 --> 00:15:57,103 ELKING WAS THEN ASKED TO VIEW A 452 00:15:57,103 --> 00:15:59,000 DIFFERENT LIVE LINEUP. 453 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,379 LAMAR JOHNSON WASN'T THERE. 454 00:16:00,379 --> 00:16:02,310 BUT THE MAN ARRESTED WITH HIM, 455 00:16:02,310 --> 00:16:05,000 PHILLIP CAMPBELL, IS NUMBER FOUR 456 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:06,448 IN THIS PHOTO. 457 00:16:06,448 --> 00:16:08,344 ELKING STILL COULDN'T IDENTIFY 458 00:16:08,344 --> 00:16:11,000 ANYONE AND SAYS HE FEARED HE HAD 459 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,482 LET DOWN THE DETECTIVE HE 460 00:16:13,482 --> 00:16:14,862 ADMIRED AND TRUSTED. 461 00:16:14,862 --> 00:16:16,551 >> I FELT SO BAD. 462 00:16:16,551 --> 00:16:18,793 I COULD SEE IT IN HIS EYES, LOOK 463 00:16:18,793 --> 00:16:21,137 I HURT THIS GUY. 464 00:16:21,137 --> 00:16:22,620 LIKE THIS WHOLE TIME I'M JUST 465 00:16:22,620 --> 00:16:23,793 WASTING HIS TIME. 466 00:16:23,793 --> 00:16:25,862 >> THEN ACCORDING TO ELKING, HE 467 00:16:25,862 --> 00:16:28,068 ASKED DETECTIVE JOE NICKERSON 468 00:16:28,068 --> 00:16:29,034 HOW HE COULD HELP. 469 00:16:29,034 --> 00:16:31,000 >> ALL THAT CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH 470 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,275 WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, JOE, YOU 471 00:16:34,275 --> 00:16:35,655 TELL ME WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE 472 00:16:35,655 --> 00:16:37,379 AND I'LL TELL YOU IF THEY WERE 473 00:16:37,379 --> 00:16:37,896 CORRECT. 474 00:16:37,896 --> 00:16:39,379 >> WHAT DOES HE SAY TO YOU? 475 00:16:39,379 --> 00:16:41,000 >> HE SAYS THREE AND FOUR. 476 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:41,586 YOU'RE RIGHT. 477 00:16:41,586 --> 00:16:42,724 THREE AND FOUR. 478 00:16:42,724 --> 00:16:44,517 >> LAMAR JOHNSON WAS NUMBER 479 00:16:44,517 --> 00:16:46,931 THREE IN THAT FIRST LINEUP. 480 00:16:46,931 --> 00:16:48,793 PHILLIP CAMPBELL WAS THE FOURTH 481 00:16:48,793 --> 00:16:50,448 MAN IN THE OTHER LINEUP. 482 00:16:50,448 --> 00:16:52,482 >> IF JOE NICKERSON IS TELLING 483 00:16:52,482 --> 00:16:54,655 ME THAT THREE AND FOUR IS IT, IT 484 00:16:54,655 --> 00:16:57,379 HAS TO BE LAMAR AND WHOEVER 485 00:16:57,379 --> 00:16:57,620 PHILLIP. 486 00:16:57,620 --> 00:16:59,000 HE WOULDN'T LIE THE ME. 487 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,724 JOE WOULDN'T LIE TO ME. 488 00:17:00,724 --> 00:17:02,793 >> SO YOU PICKED THREE AND FOUR 489 00:17:02,793 --> 00:17:04,655 BECAUSE NICKERSON TOLD YOU. 490 00:17:04,655 --> 00:17:05,723 >> YEAH. 491 00:17:05,723 --> 00:17:08,550 >> WE ASKED JOE NICKERSON FOR AN 492 00:17:08,550 --> 00:17:08,862 INTERVIEW. 493 00:17:08,862 --> 00:17:10,586 HE DECLINED OUR REQUEST BUT SENT 494 00:17:10,586 --> 00:17:12,862 US A TEXT SAYING IN PART, I WENT 495 00:17:12,862 --> 00:17:15,275 WHERE THE FACTS, EVIDENCE, AND 496 00:17:15,275 --> 00:17:17,550 CIRCUMSTANCES TOOK ME. 497 00:17:17,550 --> 00:17:18,655 ELKING CLAIMS HE TOLD NO ONE 498 00:17:18,655 --> 00:17:21,275 THAT NICKERSON HAD ALLEGEDLY 499 00:17:21,275 --> 00:17:22,896 GIVEN HIM THE SUSPECT'S NUMBERS 500 00:17:22,896 --> 00:17:25,034 IN THE LINE YUMS. 501 00:17:25,034 --> 00:17:26,482 INSTEAD, HE TOLD THE OTHER 502 00:17:26,482 --> 00:17:27,792 DETECTIVES HE WAS ABLE TO 503 00:17:27,792 --> 00:17:29,655 IDENTIFY LAMAR JOHNSON BECAUSE 504 00:17:29,655 --> 00:17:32,586 OF HIS DISTINCTIVE EYE. 505 00:17:32,586 --> 00:17:34,206 >> THEY HAD ASKED ME, WHAT DO 506 00:17:34,206 --> 00:17:35,551 YOU MEAN ABOUT THE EYE WHEN YOU 507 00:17:35,551 --> 00:17:37,931 SAY YOU COULD PICK THESE EYES? 508 00:17:37,931 --> 00:17:39,000 AND I SAID I DON'T KNOW. 509 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:40,896 LIKE A LAZY EYE OR SOMETHING. 510 00:17:40,896 --> 00:17:42,620 IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER. 511 00:17:42,620 --> 00:17:44,344 >> DWIGHT WARREN, THE 512 00:17:44,344 --> 00:17:46,172 PROSECUTOR, THAT HE PRESSED 513 00:17:46,172 --> 00:17:49,655 ELKING ON HIS IDENTIFICATION OF 514 00:17:49,655 --> 00:17:49,931 JOHNSON. 515 00:17:49,931 --> 00:17:52,448 >> I BELIEVED MR. ELKING. 516 00:17:52,448 --> 00:17:53,448 I LOOKED HIM STRAIGHT IN THE EYE 517 00:17:53,448 --> 00:17:55,413 AND I SAID, I WANT TO KNOW IF HE 518 00:17:55,413 --> 00:17:56,103 DID IT. 519 00:17:56,103 --> 00:17:58,137 TELL ME YOU'RE SURE OF YOUR 520 00:17:58,137 --> 00:17:58,517 IDENTIFICATION. 521 00:17:58,517 --> 00:18:00,862 PLEASE TELL ME THE TRUTH. 522 00:18:00,862 --> 00:18:02,689 I DON'T WANT TO GO CHARGE 523 00:18:02,689 --> 00:18:04,758 SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT GUILTY. 524 00:18:04,758 --> 00:18:09,551 >> WHAT DID GREG ELKING SAY WHEN 525 00:18:09,551 --> 00:18:09,896 YOU SAID THAT? 526 00:18:09,896 --> 00:18:12,000 >> QUOTE, I COULDN'T TELL YOU. 527 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,413 BUT HE SAID HE WAS TELLING THE 528 00:18:13,413 --> 00:18:13,827 TRUTH. 529 00:18:13,827 --> 00:18:15,448 HE KNEW WHO DID THE SHOOTING AND 530 00:18:15,448 --> 00:18:17,793 IT WAS LAMAR JOHNSON. 531 00:18:17,793 --> 00:18:18,758 AND PHILLIP CAMPBELL. 532 00:18:18,758 --> 00:18:20,275 SO I CHARGED THEM BOTH. 533 00:18:20,275 --> 00:18:23,275 >> IN JULY 1995, LAMAR JOHNSON 534 00:18:23,275 --> 00:18:25,482 WENT ON TRIAL WITH ELKING AS THE 535 00:18:25,482 --> 00:18:26,620 STAR WITNESS. 536 00:18:26,620 --> 00:18:29,310 >> IF HE HAD BACKED OFF THAT, I 537 00:18:29,310 --> 00:18:30,379 WOULD HAVE NEVER ISSUED THE 538 00:18:30,379 --> 00:18:30,689 CASE. 539 00:18:30,689 --> 00:18:32,206 HE WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. 540 00:18:32,206 --> 00:18:34,655 >> TO BOLSTER THE CASE, ONE OF 541 00:18:34,655 --> 00:18:37,068 THE WITNESSES THE PROSECUTION 542 00:18:37,068 --> 00:18:39,103 CALLED WAS WILLIAM MOCK. 543 00:18:39,103 --> 00:18:41,655 A JAIL HOUSE INFORMANT WITH A 544 00:18:41,655 --> 00:18:42,827 LENGTHY CRIMINAL HISTORY WHO 545 00:18:42,827 --> 00:18:44,586 CLAIMED HE OVERHEARD JOHNSON AND 546 00:18:44,586 --> 00:18:45,931 CAMPBELL IN A HOLDING CELL 547 00:18:45,931 --> 00:18:49,103 TALKING ABOUT THE MURDER. 548 00:18:49,103 --> 00:18:51,827 BUT ATTORNEY LINDSAY RUNNELS 549 00:18:51,827 --> 00:18:53,068 SAID MOCK WASN'T CREDIBLE. 550 00:18:53,068 --> 00:18:54,689 THAT HIS CELL WASN'T CLOSE 551 00:18:54,689 --> 00:18:58,000 ENOUGH TO HEAR ANYTHING. 552 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,517 >> LAMAR WASN'T EVER IN A CELL 553 00:18:59,517 --> 00:19:00,586 WITH CAMPBELL. 554 00:19:00,586 --> 00:19:02,793 AND CAMPBELL, NOR LAMAR, WERE 555 00:19:02,793 --> 00:19:04,896 EVER IN THE SAME CELL AS WILLIAM 556 00:19:04,896 --> 00:19:05,482 MOCK. 557 00:19:05,482 --> 00:19:07,793 SO HOW COULD YOU HEAR THIS IF IT 558 00:19:07,793 --> 00:19:09,862 HAPPENED AT ALL, WHICH IT 559 00:19:09,862 --> 00:19:10,068 DIDN'T. 560 00:19:10,068 --> 00:19:11,827 >> DON'T YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE 561 00:19:11,827 --> 00:19:13,000 THAT JAIL HOUSE SNITCH IS 562 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,137 TELLING THE TRUTH? 563 00:19:14,137 --> 00:19:15,965 >> HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT? 564 00:19:15,965 --> 00:19:17,827 >> WELL, YOU WOULDN'T PUT 565 00:19:17,827 --> 00:19:18,724 SOMEONE ON THE STAND UNLESS YOU 566 00:19:18,724 --> 00:19:20,206 COULD CHECK OUT THEIR STORY, 567 00:19:20,206 --> 00:19:20,551 RIGHT? 568 00:19:20,551 --> 00:19:22,310 >> I DID CHECK IT OUT. 569 00:19:22,310 --> 00:19:24,827 HE WAS IN TWO JAIL CELLS AWAY. 570 00:19:24,827 --> 00:19:27,206 HE WAS IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE 571 00:19:27,206 --> 00:19:28,379 TO HEAR THAT. 572 00:19:28,379 --> 00:19:29,827 >> JOHNSON DIDN'T TAKE THE STAND 573 00:19:29,827 --> 00:19:30,896 AT HIS TRIAL. 574 00:19:30,896 --> 00:19:33,517 THE DEFENSE RELIED ON HIS 575 00:19:33,517 --> 00:19:35,482 GIRLFRIEND, ERIKA BARROW WHO 576 00:19:35,482 --> 00:19:38,724 TOLD THE JURY HE WAS WITH HER AT 577 00:19:38,724 --> 00:19:39,413 THE TIME OF THE MURDER. 578 00:19:39,413 --> 00:19:42,379 IT TOOK LESS THAN TWO HOURS FOR 579 00:19:42,379 --> 00:19:44,517 THE JURORS TO REACH A VERDICT. 580 00:19:44,517 --> 00:19:45,310 GUILTY. 581 00:19:45,310 --> 00:19:46,620 JOHNSON'S LAYOFF HAD BEEN 582 00:19:46,620 --> 00:19:48,413 CHANGED FOREVER BY GREG ELKING 583 00:19:48,413 --> 00:19:50,827 WHO SAID THAT AS HE WAS POINTING 584 00:19:50,827 --> 00:19:53,655 AT JOHNSON AT TRIAL, HE KNEW HE 585 00:19:53,655 --> 00:19:57,758 HAD IDENTIFIED THE WRONG MAN. 586 00:19:57,758 --> 00:20:00,068 >> THIS ISN'T THE DUTY SEEN AT 587 00:20:00,068 --> 00:20:00,241 ALL. 588 00:20:00,241 --> 00:20:03,448 TO ME, LAMAR IS NOT DARK AND NOT 589 00:20:03,448 --> 00:20:04,827 WHAT I SEEN. 590 00:20:04,827 --> 00:20:07,068 >> YOU HAD DOUBTS RIGHT 591 00:20:07,068 --> 00:20:07,379 AFTERWARDS. 592 00:20:07,379 --> 00:20:10,206 WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL SOMEBODY? 593 00:20:10,206 --> 00:20:12,551 >> BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS TO ME. 594 00:20:12,551 --> 00:20:12,827 NOBODY. 595 00:20:12,827 --> 00:20:16,034 WHO AM I GOING TO TELL? 596 00:20:16,034 --> 00:20:16,931 I DON'T KNOW WHO I COULD HAVE 597 00:20:16,931 --> 00:20:17,172 TOLD. 598 00:20:17,172 --> 00:20:18,758 >> DID IT OCCUR TO YOU AT THAT 599 00:20:18,758 --> 00:20:20,379 MOMENT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE PUT 600 00:20:20,379 --> 00:20:21,724 AN INNOCENT MAN -- 601 00:20:21,724 --> 00:20:22,379 >> YES. 602 00:20:22,379 --> 00:20:24,275 >> BEHIND BARS. 603 00:20:24,275 --> 00:20:25,758 >> WITHOUT A DOUBT. 604 00:20:25,758 --> 00:20:27,655 BECAUSE I LIED ON THE TESTIMONY. 605 00:20:27,655 --> 00:20:29,896 I LIED BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS 606 00:20:29,896 --> 00:20:39,517 I LIED BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THIN 607 00:20:39,517 --> 00:20:50,827 DOING THE RIGHT THIN 608 00:20:50,827 --> 00:20:52,655 >>> LAMAR JOHNSON WAS JUST 21 609 00:20:52,655 --> 00:20:55,551 YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS CONVICTED 610 00:20:55,551 --> 00:20:56,862 OF MURDER. 611 00:20:56,862 --> 00:20:59,620 >> AT MY TRIAL, THEY NEVER 612 00:20:59,620 --> 00:21:01,310 EXPLAINED WHY I SUPPOSEDLY DID 613 00:21:01,310 --> 00:21:01,517 THIS. 614 00:21:01,517 --> 00:21:04,000 >> THEN BEFORE HIS SENTENCING, 615 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,482 JOHNSON RECEIVED SURPRISING NEW 616 00:21:06,482 --> 00:21:07,965 INFORMATION THAT HE BELIEVED 617 00:21:07,965 --> 00:21:10,724 WOULD PROVE HIS INNOCENCE. 618 00:21:10,724 --> 00:21:12,034 HANDWRITTEN LETTERS FROM HIS 619 00:21:12,034 --> 00:21:14,241 FRIEND, THE OTHER SUSPECTED 620 00:21:14,241 --> 00:21:16,103 KILLER, PHILLIP CAMPBELL. 621 00:21:16,103 --> 00:21:18,448 ONE SAID, YOU DIDN'T DO A THING. 622 00:21:18,448 --> 00:21:20,103 >> HE SAID I'M SORRY YOU GOT 623 00:21:20,103 --> 00:21:21,413 CONVICTED FOR SOMETHING YOU 624 00:21:21,413 --> 00:21:22,068 DIDN'T DO. 625 00:21:22,068 --> 00:21:23,379 HE SAID HE WANTED TO COME 626 00:21:23,379 --> 00:21:24,482 FORWARD BUT HIS ATTORNEY 627 00:21:24,482 --> 00:21:25,586 WOULDN'T LET HIM BECAUSE HE 628 00:21:25,586 --> 00:21:28,206 THOUGHT HE COULD BEAT HIS CASE. 629 00:21:28,206 --> 00:21:29,827 >> AND PHILLIP CAMPBELL WAS 630 00:21:29,827 --> 00:21:30,862 ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SHATTERS. 631 00:21:30,862 --> 00:21:31,620 >> HE WAS. 632 00:21:31,620 --> 00:21:33,517 >> AND HE EVEN NAMED THE OTHER 633 00:21:33,517 --> 00:21:34,724 SHATTER WHO WAS WITH HIM THE 634 00:21:34,724 --> 00:21:36,586 NIGHT OF THE MURDER. 635 00:21:36,586 --> 00:21:38,551 A MAN NAMED JAMES HOWARD. 636 00:21:38,551 --> 00:21:40,482 JOHNSON NOW HAD THE NAMES OF 637 00:21:40,482 --> 00:21:41,172 BOTH SHOOTERS. 638 00:21:41,172 --> 00:21:43,344 HE WROTE THE JUDGE AND ASKED FOR 639 00:21:43,344 --> 00:21:45,896 A HEARING BUT HIS REQUEST WAS 640 00:21:45,896 --> 00:21:46,206 DENIED. 641 00:21:46,206 --> 00:21:48,586 IN SEPTEMBER, 1995, LAMAR 642 00:21:48,586 --> 00:21:50,655 JOHNSON WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN 643 00:21:50,655 --> 00:21:52,931 PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE. 644 00:21:52,931 --> 00:21:55,482 GIRLFRIEND ERIKA BARROW BLAMES 645 00:21:55,482 --> 00:21:56,482 LAW ENFORCEMENT. 646 00:21:56,482 --> 00:22:01,379 >> YOU DIDN'T CARE TO CHECK HIS 647 00:22:01,379 --> 00:22:02,689 ALIBI. 648 00:22:02,689 --> 00:22:04,413 YOU WANTED TO BLAME SOMEONE AND 649 00:22:04,413 --> 00:22:06,758 YOU DID EXACTLY THAT. 650 00:22:06,758 --> 00:22:09,000 YOU JUST FLAT-OUT DIDN'T CARE. 651 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,413 YOU DIDN'T CARE. 652 00:22:10,413 --> 00:22:12,310 >> LAMAR JOHNSON DIDN'T GIVE UP. 653 00:22:12,310 --> 00:22:14,862 HE BECAME HIS OWN JAIL HOUSE 654 00:22:14,862 --> 00:22:16,103 LAWYER. 655 00:22:16,103 --> 00:22:18,000 SIFTING THROUGH POLICE REPORTS, 656 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,379 TRIAL TRANSCRIPTS, AND GATHERING 657 00:22:20,379 --> 00:22:21,896 NEW EVIDENCE. 658 00:22:21,896 --> 00:22:25,068 JOHNSON WITH LEGAL HELP FILED A 659 00:22:25,068 --> 00:22:26,827 PETITION, ASKING FOR A NEW TRIAL 660 00:22:26,827 --> 00:22:28,965 IN 1996. 661 00:22:28,965 --> 00:22:31,517 AGAIN, HE WAS DENIED. 662 00:22:31,517 --> 00:22:33,241 TWO YEARS LATER HE WOULD MEET 663 00:22:33,241 --> 00:22:37,068 ANOTHER INMATE WITH A SIMILAR 664 00:22:37,068 --> 00:22:37,448 STORY. 665 00:22:37,448 --> 00:22:40,793 >> WE WERE BOTH ASSIGNED TO THE 666 00:22:40,793 --> 00:22:42,413 CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN MISSOURI. 667 00:22:42,413 --> 00:22:44,758 OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS ALMOST 668 00:22:44,758 --> 00:22:45,000 INSTANT. 669 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,275 >> RICKY KIDD, ALSO SERVING A 670 00:22:47,275 --> 00:22:49,206 LAYOFF SENTENCE FOR MURDER, 671 00:22:49,206 --> 00:22:50,620 REMEMBERS WHEN HE FIRST LEARNED 672 00:22:50,620 --> 00:22:53,241 ABOUT JOHNSON'S CASE. 673 00:22:53,241 --> 00:22:54,586 >> HE SAID I HAVE TO GO THROUGH 674 00:22:54,586 --> 00:22:55,931 THE LAW LIBRARY. 675 00:22:55,931 --> 00:22:56,931 WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? 676 00:22:56,931 --> 00:22:59,379 AND HE TURNED TO ME AND HE SAID, 677 00:22:59,379 --> 00:23:01,827 I KNOW EVERYBODY SAYS THIS. 678 00:23:01,827 --> 00:23:04,482 BUT I'M INNOCENT. 679 00:23:04,482 --> 00:23:06,034 AND A BIG OLD SMILE APPEARED 680 00:23:06,034 --> 00:23:07,206 ACROSS MY FACE LIKE YOU'RE 681 00:23:07,206 --> 00:23:08,172 SEEING RIGHT NOW. 682 00:23:08,172 --> 00:23:10,000 AND I SAID, WELL, I KNOW 683 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,000 EVERYBODY SAYS THIS, BUT I'M 684 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:13,068 INNOCENT, TOO. 685 00:23:13,068 --> 00:23:15,551 >> THE TWO MEN MADE A PACT IN 686 00:23:15,551 --> 00:23:16,000 PRISON. 687 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,344 >> HE SAID LET'S MAKE A PROMISE. 688 00:23:18,344 --> 00:23:19,896 WHOEVER MAKES IT OUT WILL COME 689 00:23:19,896 --> 00:23:21,517 BACK FOR THE OTHER. 690 00:23:21,517 --> 00:23:23,379 AND WE SHOOK ON IT. 691 00:23:23,379 --> 00:23:25,655 >> THE MIDWEST CITIZENS PROJECT 692 00:23:25,655 --> 00:23:27,689 HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON 693 00:23:27,689 --> 00:23:29,586 KIDD'S CASE BEFORE HE HIMSELF 694 00:23:29,586 --> 00:23:32,034 WAS EXONERATED, KIDD SAYS HE 695 00:23:32,034 --> 00:23:33,275 CONVINCED LAWYERS THERE TO TAKE 696 00:23:33,275 --> 00:23:36,413 A CLOSER LOOK AT JOHNSON'S CASE. 697 00:23:36,413 --> 00:23:38,620 WHEN THAT TEAM OF LAWYERS BEGAN 698 00:23:38,620 --> 00:23:40,482 THEIR RESEARCH, THEY DISCOVERED 699 00:23:40,482 --> 00:23:42,896 THAT THE STAR WITNESS, GREG 700 00:23:42,896 --> 00:23:45,344 ELKING, IN PRISON HIMSELF FOR 701 00:23:45,344 --> 00:23:46,413 BANK ROBBERY, HAD WRITTEN A 702 00:23:46,413 --> 00:23:49,896 LETTER TO A CLERGYMAN ADMITTING 703 00:23:49,896 --> 00:23:52,137 HE HAD LIED AT JOHNSON'S TRIAL. 704 00:23:52,137 --> 00:23:53,896 >> WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD 705 00:23:53,896 --> 00:23:54,586 HAPPEN? 706 00:23:54,586 --> 00:23:56,827 >> AGAIN, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE 707 00:23:56,827 --> 00:23:57,000 HEARD. 708 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,586 IT MADE ME EVEN MORE HOPEFUL 709 00:23:58,586 --> 00:24:01,206 THAT THE COURT WOULD AT LEAST 710 00:24:01,206 --> 00:24:01,448 LISTEN. 711 00:24:01,448 --> 00:24:03,448 >> ELKING'S LETTER WOULD REVEAL 712 00:24:03,448 --> 00:24:05,758 ANOTHER REASON WHY HE AGREED TO 713 00:24:05,758 --> 00:24:07,172 TESTIFY AGAINST JOHNSON. 714 00:24:07,172 --> 00:24:08,689 AT THE TIME OF THE MURDER, 715 00:24:08,689 --> 00:24:11,689 ELKING HAD BEEN IN SERIOUS 716 00:24:11,689 --> 00:24:12,862 FINANCIAL STRAITS. 717 00:24:12,862 --> 00:24:14,793 DETECTIVE NICKERSON AND THE 718 00:24:14,793 --> 00:24:17,137 PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE PUT HIM IN A 719 00:24:17,137 --> 00:24:22,517 WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM. 720 00:24:22,517 --> 00:24:25,551 ELKING'S DEBTS WERE PAID AND HIS 721 00:24:25,551 --> 00:24:26,379 OUTSTANDING TRAFFIC WARRANTS 722 00:24:26,379 --> 00:24:27,344 WERE CLEARED. 723 00:24:27,344 --> 00:24:29,344 >> WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO MOVE 724 00:24:29,344 --> 00:24:29,620 YOU? 725 00:24:29,620 --> 00:24:31,310 >> JOE NICKERSON. 726 00:24:31,310 --> 00:24:34,206 THEY PAID MY FIRST MONTH AND 727 00:24:34,206 --> 00:24:36,413 LAST MONTH'S RENT FOR A LOUSE. 728 00:24:36,413 --> 00:24:39,000 >> ALTOGETHER, ELKING HAD 729 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,379 RECEIVED MORE THAN $4,000. 730 00:24:40,379 --> 00:24:42,206 NONE OF THAT WAS DISCLOSED TO 731 00:24:42,206 --> 00:24:44,275 JOHNSON AND HIS LAWYER AT TRIAL. 732 00:24:44,275 --> 00:24:48,724 JOHNSON REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR A 733 00:24:48,724 --> 00:24:49,000 HEARING. 734 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,896 HE WAS DENIED AND HIS CASE 735 00:24:52,896 --> 00:24:53,137 STALLED. 736 00:24:53,137 --> 00:24:55,068 >> WHAT ELSE IS NEEDED? 737 00:24:55,068 --> 00:24:57,586 THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVEN'T 738 00:24:57,586 --> 00:25:01,103 BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT IS DNA. 739 00:25:01,103 --> 00:25:04,206 AND I WISH THERE WAS SOME DNA. 740 00:25:04,206 --> 00:25:07,275 >> THEN IN 2018, ST. LOUIS 741 00:25:07,275 --> 00:25:09,206 CIRCUIT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY 742 00:25:09,206 --> 00:25:11,344 GARDNER AGREED TO LOOK AT HIS 743 00:25:11,344 --> 00:25:11,655 CASE. 744 00:25:11,655 --> 00:25:14,344 SHE HAD CREATED A CONVICTION 745 00:25:14,344 --> 00:25:16,241 INTEGRITY UNIT TO LOOK AT CASES 746 00:25:16,241 --> 00:25:18,931 OF POSSIBLE WRONGFUL CONVICTION. 747 00:25:18,931 --> 00:25:22,448 >> I STARTED SEEING SOME RED 748 00:25:22,448 --> 00:25:23,000 FLAGS. 749 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,000 AND I CONSULTED MY TEAM AND I 750 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:26,793 SAID, I THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM 751 00:25:26,793 --> 00:25:27,034 HERE. 752 00:25:27,034 --> 00:25:29,620 >> ONE OF THE MANY FLAGS FOR 753 00:25:29,620 --> 00:25:31,379 GARDNER WAS THE TIME LINE FOR 754 00:25:31,379 --> 00:25:32,586 THE MURDER. 755 00:25:32,586 --> 00:25:33,689 COULD JOHNSON HAVE HAD TIME TO 756 00:25:33,689 --> 00:25:39,206 KILL HIS FRIEND MARKUS BOYD? 757 00:25:39,206 --> 00:25:42,413 ERIKA BARR CLOSE THE SAID HE HAD 758 00:25:42,413 --> 00:25:44,413 ONLY LEFT FOR ABOUT FIVE 759 00:25:44,413 --> 00:25:45,172 MINUTES. 760 00:25:45,172 --> 00:25:46,482 >> YOU CANNOT DRIVE THAT 761 00:25:46,482 --> 00:25:46,758 DISTANCE. 762 00:25:46,758 --> 00:25:47,620 YOU WOULD HAVE TO SPEED THERE 763 00:25:47,620 --> 00:25:48,965 AND SPEED ALL THE WAY BACK. 764 00:25:48,965 --> 00:25:51,965 THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN DO THAT. 765 00:25:51,965 --> 00:25:54,000 >> BUT THE PROSECUTOR SAID ERIKA 766 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,620 COULD HAVE LOST TRACK OF TIME. 767 00:25:56,620 --> 00:25:57,482 THAT JOHNSON COULD HAVE BEEN 768 00:25:57,482 --> 00:25:59,793 GONE AS LONG AS 15 MINUTES. 769 00:25:59,793 --> 00:26:02,000 >> SHE DIDN'T HAVE A STOP WATCH. 770 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,275 LAMAR GOT INTO A CAR AND TOOK 771 00:26:04,275 --> 00:26:04,448 OFF. 772 00:26:04,448 --> 00:26:06,551 >> AT JOHNSON'S TRIAL, DETECTIVE 773 00:26:06,551 --> 00:26:08,620 JOE NICKERSON TESTIFIED THAT IT 774 00:26:08,620 --> 00:26:10,137 ONLY TOOK HIM FIVE MINUTES TO GO 775 00:26:10,137 --> 00:26:13,000 FROM THE ALIBI LOCATION TO THE 776 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:13,931 CRIME SCENE. 777 00:26:13,931 --> 00:26:17,344 WE ASKED CHIEF INVESTIGATOR 778 00:26:17,344 --> 00:26:20,206 ROBERT OGILVIE TO TAKE US ON 779 00:26:20,206 --> 00:26:21,517 THAT SAME DRIVE. 780 00:26:21,517 --> 00:26:23,965 >> ACCORDING TO TESTIMONY, IT 781 00:26:23,965 --> 00:26:26,172 JUST TAKES FIVE MINUTES TO GET 782 00:26:26,172 --> 00:26:27,827 THERE. 783 00:26:27,827 --> 00:26:29,000 YOU'RE LAUGHING. 784 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:34,068 WE TIMED THE DRIVE USING A CELL 785 00:26:34,068 --> 00:26:34,758 PHONE. 786 00:26:34,758 --> 00:26:36,275 YEP. 787 00:26:36,275 --> 00:26:37,620 12:55. 788 00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:39,344 15 MINUTES. 789 00:26:39,344 --> 00:26:41,586 13 MINUTES ONE WAY. 790 00:26:41,586 --> 00:26:43,517 THAT'S MORE THAN DOUBLE THE TIME 791 00:26:43,517 --> 00:26:45,620 DETECTIVE NICKERSON SAID IT 792 00:26:45,620 --> 00:26:45,827 TOOK. 793 00:26:45,827 --> 00:26:49,241 IN 2019, CIRCUIT ATTORNEY 794 00:26:49,241 --> 00:26:50,758 KIMBERLY GARNETT EVERY GARDNER'S 795 00:26:50,758 --> 00:26:53,551 TEAM RELEASED A DETAIL'S REPORT 796 00:26:53,551 --> 00:26:56,034 LISTING NUMEROUS ERRORS THAT 797 00:26:56,034 --> 00:26:57,896 UNDERMINED JOHNSON'S CONVICTION. 798 00:26:57,896 --> 00:26:59,793 AS A PROSECUTOR, YOU PUT PEOPLE 799 00:26:59,793 --> 00:27:00,586 IN PRISON. 800 00:27:00,586 --> 00:27:02,310 YOU DON'T TRY TO GET THEM OUT. 801 00:27:02,310 --> 00:27:04,482 >> AS A PROSECUTOR, NO 802 00:27:04,482 --> 00:27:05,551 PROSECUTOR, I BELIEVE, WANTS TO 803 00:27:05,551 --> 00:27:08,793 SECURE A CONVICTION WRONGFULLY. 804 00:27:08,793 --> 00:27:10,344 USING WRONG TACTICS. 805 00:27:10,344 --> 00:27:11,689 THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO. 806 00:27:11,689 --> 00:27:13,517 WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT. 807 00:27:13,517 --> 00:27:15,137 >> JURORS NEVER LEARNED THAT 808 00:27:15,137 --> 00:27:19,172 JAIL HOUSE INFORMANT WILLIAM 809 00:27:19,172 --> 00:27:21,517 MOCK WAS A RACIST WHO HAD A 810 00:27:21,517 --> 00:27:22,827 HATRED FOR BLACK PEOPLE. 811 00:27:22,827 --> 00:27:24,620 NOR DID THEY HEAR THE MAJORITY 812 00:27:24,620 --> 00:27:25,931 OF HIS CRIMINAL RECORD. 813 00:27:25,931 --> 00:27:29,448 AND THEY WERE NEVER TOLD GREG 814 00:27:29,448 --> 00:27:30,482 ELKING HAD BEEN PAID THOUSANDS 815 00:27:30,482 --> 00:27:31,448 OF DOLLARS. 816 00:27:31,448 --> 00:27:34,793 GARDNER WAS CONVINCED HE WAS 817 00:27:34,793 --> 00:27:35,034 INNOCENT. 818 00:27:35,034 --> 00:27:37,586 WHEN SHE TRIED TO GET THE 819 00:27:37,586 --> 00:27:39,413 CONVICTION OVERTURNED, COURT 820 00:27:39,413 --> 00:27:40,586 AFTER COURT INCLUDING THE 821 00:27:40,586 --> 00:27:41,551 REPLIES MS. SUPREME COURT SAID 822 00:27:41,551 --> 00:27:44,310 SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE POWER. 823 00:27:44,310 --> 00:27:46,172 >> WHEN YOU TRY TO ABIDE BY YOUR 824 00:27:46,172 --> 00:27:48,000 OATH AND YOU'RE STOPPED EVERY 825 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,137 WAY, IT WEIGHS ON YOU. 826 00:27:50,137 --> 00:27:52,724 >> IN 2021, THE REPLIES MS. 827 00:27:52,724 --> 00:27:54,413 LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW THAT 828 00:27:54,413 --> 00:27:56,103 GAVE GARDNER AND OTHER 829 00:27:56,103 --> 00:27:58,758 PROSECUTORS THE POWER TO BRING 830 00:27:58,758 --> 00:28:00,896 CASES OF INNOCENCE TO COURT. 831 00:28:00,896 --> 00:28:02,793 A YEAR LATER, JOHNSON GOT THE 832 00:28:02,793 --> 00:28:04,827 NEWS HE HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR. 833 00:28:04,827 --> 00:28:07,310 AFTER NEARLY THREE DECADES IN 834 00:28:07,310 --> 00:28:09,586 PRISON, HE WOULD FINALLY GET A 835 00:28:09,586 --> 00:28:11,103 HEARING TO PRESENT NEW EVIDENCE 836 00:28:11,103 --> 00:28:28,310 IN HIS 837 00:28:28,310 --> 00:28:30,586 >>> ON DECEMBER 12th, 2022, 838 00:28:30,586 --> 00:28:33,137 LAMAR JOHNSON AND HIS LEGAL TEAM 839 00:28:33,137 --> 00:28:34,103 GATHERED IN A ST. LOUIS 840 00:28:34,103 --> 00:28:36,793 COURTROOM FOR A WEEK-LONG 841 00:28:36,793 --> 00:28:37,275 HEARING. 842 00:28:37,275 --> 00:28:39,793 HIS DAUGHTERS, BRITTNEY AND 843 00:28:39,793 --> 00:28:41,655 KIERA, WERE IN THE COURTROOM 844 00:28:41,655 --> 00:28:42,482 NEARLY EVERY DAY. 845 00:28:42,482 --> 00:28:45,206 >> I THINK WE'RE ALL TRYING TO 846 00:28:45,206 --> 00:28:50,206 BE HOPEFUL THAT MY DAD GETS 847 00:28:50,206 --> 00:28:50,482 JUSTICE. 848 00:28:50,482 --> 00:28:53,000 >> ONE MAN, JUDGE DAVID MASON, 849 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,862 WILL DECIDE JOHNSON'S FUTURE. 850 00:28:55,862 --> 00:28:57,758 HE HAS THREE OPTIONS. 851 00:28:57,758 --> 00:28:59,586 OVERTURN THE CONVICION AND 852 00:28:59,586 --> 00:29:01,344 GRANT A NEW TRIAL. 853 00:29:01,344 --> 00:29:03,655 OVERTURN THE CONVICTION AND 854 00:29:03,655 --> 00:29:05,034 DECLARE JOHNSON INNOCENT. 855 00:29:05,034 --> 00:29:09,068 OR HE COULD UPHOLD THE JURY'S 856 00:29:09,068 --> 00:29:09,344 VERDICT. 857 00:29:09,344 --> 00:29:11,034 >> WHAT IS AT STAKE HERE WITH 858 00:29:11,034 --> 00:29:13,034 THIS JUDGE'S DECISION? 859 00:29:13,034 --> 00:29:15,655 >> JUSTICE AND THE INTEGRITY OF 860 00:29:15,655 --> 00:29:18,482 THE WHOLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE 861 00:29:18,482 --> 00:29:18,896 SYSTEM. 862 00:29:18,896 --> 00:29:20,172 >> THE CIRCUIT ATTORNEY SAT BY 863 00:29:20,172 --> 00:29:22,827 JOHNSON INSTEAD OF HER USUAL 864 00:29:22,827 --> 00:29:25,965 SEAT AT THE PROSECUTION TABLE. 865 00:29:25,965 --> 00:29:28,827 GARDNER APPOINTED TWO LAWYERS TO 866 00:29:28,827 --> 00:29:31,379 HANDLE JOHNSON'S CASE. 867 00:29:31,379 --> 00:29:32,241 CHARLIE WEISS AND JONATHAN 868 00:29:32,241 --> 00:29:32,448 POTTS. 869 00:29:32,448 --> 00:29:34,931 >> I TOOK THIS CASE BECAUSE I 870 00:29:34,931 --> 00:29:37,000 BELIEVE THAT LAMAR JOHNSON IS 871 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:37,241 INNOCENT. 872 00:29:37,241 --> 00:29:39,172 I DIDN'T TAKE IT BECAUSE I THINK 873 00:29:39,172 --> 00:29:40,379 HE MIGHT BE INNOCENT. 874 00:29:40,379 --> 00:29:41,758 >> THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL 875 00:29:41,758 --> 00:29:44,206 EVIDENCE AT ALL CONNECTING LAMAR 876 00:29:44,206 --> 00:29:46,482 JOHNSON WITH THE MURDER OF 877 00:29:46,482 --> 00:29:48,931 MARKUS BOYD, PERIOD. 878 00:29:48,931 --> 00:29:50,689 >> YOUR HONOR, MAY IT PLEASE THE 879 00:29:50,689 --> 00:29:50,896 COURT. 880 00:29:50,896 --> 00:29:52,551 THIS IS A RATHER HISTORIC MOMENT 881 00:29:52,551 --> 00:29:53,241 IN THIS COURT. 882 00:29:53,241 --> 00:29:55,965 THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE 883 00:29:55,965 --> 00:29:58,068 COURT IS HEARING AN ACTUAL 884 00:29:58,068 --> 00:29:59,620 INNOCENCE CLAIM FILED BY A 885 00:29:59,620 --> 00:30:01,000 PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. 886 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:02,724 >> THE MISSOURI ATTORNEY 887 00:30:02,724 --> 00:30:04,206 GENERAL'S OFFICE SENT A TEAM OF 888 00:30:04,206 --> 00:30:06,034 THEIR OWN TO ARGUE THAT 889 00:30:06,034 --> 00:30:08,172 JOHNSON'S CONVICTION SHOULD 890 00:30:08,172 --> 00:30:08,482 STAND. 891 00:30:08,482 --> 00:30:10,931 IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST FOR 892 00:30:10,931 --> 00:30:12,758 AN INTERVIEW, THEY PROVIDED US 893 00:30:12,758 --> 00:30:14,413 WITH THIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT 894 00:30:14,413 --> 00:30:16,724 READ IN PART, THE ATTORNEY 895 00:30:16,724 --> 00:30:18,103 GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS FOUGHT TO 896 00:30:18,103 --> 00:30:23,241 KEEP A CONVICTED MURDERER IN 897 00:30:23,241 --> 00:30:25,379 PRISON. 898 00:30:25,379 --> 00:30:27,034 THE ATTORNEY TOLD THE JUDGE NOT 899 00:30:27,034 --> 00:30:28,586 TO TRUST THE WITNESSES WHO WERE 900 00:30:28,586 --> 00:30:30,620 ABOUT TO VOUCH FOR JOHNSON'S 901 00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:30,896 INNOCENCE. 902 00:30:30,896 --> 00:30:33,724 >> THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO 903 00:30:33,724 --> 00:30:36,379 BELIEVE CONVICTED MURDERERS AND 904 00:30:36,379 --> 00:30:37,448 GANG MEMBERS. 905 00:30:37,448 --> 00:30:39,000 THEIR EVIDENCE IS NOT CREDIBLE. 906 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,689 >> JOHNSON'S TEAM CALLS THEIR 907 00:30:41,689 --> 00:30:43,344 FIRST WITNESS. 908 00:30:43,344 --> 00:30:45,896 JAMES HOWARD TAKES THE STAND AND 909 00:30:45,896 --> 00:30:48,517 ADMITS THAT HE'S ONE OF THE MEN 910 00:30:48,517 --> 00:30:50,655 WHO MURDERED MARKUS BOYD. 911 00:30:50,655 --> 00:30:52,931 >> HOW DID MARKUS DIE? 912 00:30:52,931 --> 00:30:57,137 >> PHILLIP CAMPBELL KILLED HIM 913 00:30:57,137 --> 00:30:58,379 ON HIS FRONT PORCH. 914 00:30:58,379 --> 00:31:00,068 >> REMEMBER HE HAD WRITTEN LAMAR 915 00:31:00,068 --> 00:31:01,172 JOHNSON SAYING HE AND HOWARD 916 00:31:01,172 --> 00:31:03,517 WERE THE REAL SHOOTERS. 917 00:31:03,517 --> 00:31:04,827 CAMPBELL WHO WAS LATER CONVICTED 918 00:31:04,827 --> 00:31:06,827 OF THE MURDER TOOK A DEAL AND 919 00:31:06,827 --> 00:31:08,517 SERVED ONLY FIVE YEARS. 920 00:31:08,517 --> 00:31:10,241 HE HAS SINCE DIED. 921 00:31:10,241 --> 00:31:12,000 HOWARD WAS NEVER CHARGED WITH 922 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:12,793 BOYD'S DEATH. 923 00:31:12,793 --> 00:31:14,517 HE'S CURRENTLY IN PRISON FOR 924 00:31:14,517 --> 00:31:17,206 LAYOFF FOR UNRELATED CRIMES, 925 00:31:17,206 --> 00:31:21,931 INCLUDING MURDERING ANOTHER MAN. 926 00:31:21,931 --> 00:31:25,068 >> I FIRED TWO SHOTS IN THE BACK 927 00:31:25,068 --> 00:31:26,724 OF HIS HEAD. 928 00:31:26,724 --> 00:31:29,655 >> BUT THE ATTORNEYS CAN'T RELY 929 00:31:29,655 --> 00:31:31,655 ON HOWARD'S WORD ALONE. 930 00:31:31,655 --> 00:31:34,068 THEY MUST NOW TEAR APART THE 931 00:31:34,068 --> 00:31:35,827 ORIGINAL CASE AGAINST LAMAR 932 00:31:35,827 --> 00:31:36,137 JOHNSON. 933 00:31:36,137 --> 00:31:39,068 THEY CALL GREG ELKING, THE 934 00:31:39,068 --> 00:31:40,862 STATE'S FORMER STAR WITNESS. 935 00:31:40,862 --> 00:31:41,827 >> LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS WANTING 936 00:31:41,827 --> 00:31:44,758 ME TO HELP. 937 00:31:44,758 --> 00:31:45,689 AND I TRUSTED THEM. 938 00:31:45,689 --> 00:31:46,965 I WANTED TO HELP. 939 00:31:46,965 --> 00:31:48,000 >> Reporter: HE TOLD THE COURT 940 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,482 HE FELT PRESSURED BY DETECTIVE 941 00:31:51,482 --> 00:31:52,448 JOE NICKERSON TO IDENTIFY 942 00:31:52,448 --> 00:31:55,344 JOHNSON IN THE LINEUP. 943 00:31:55,344 --> 00:31:57,172 >> HE GOES, I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO 944 00:31:57,172 --> 00:31:58,448 IT IS AND YOU'RE JUST NOT 945 00:31:58,448 --> 00:31:58,689 SAYING. 946 00:31:58,689 --> 00:32:00,689 AND THERE IS THE PART I HATE THE 947 00:32:00,689 --> 00:32:01,206 MOST. 948 00:32:01,206 --> 00:32:04,275 I JUST REMEMBER SAYING TO HIM, 949 00:32:04,275 --> 00:32:07,034 YOU TELL ME THE NUMBERS AND I'LL 950 00:32:07,034 --> 00:32:09,275 TELL YOU YOU'RE RIGHT. 951 00:32:09,275 --> 00:32:10,241 AND HE DID. 952 00:32:10,241 --> 00:32:13,068 AND I WAS LIKE, THAT WAS IT. 953 00:32:13,068 --> 00:32:14,551 THAT WAS THE NUMBERS. 954 00:32:14,551 --> 00:32:17,862 AND I'VE BEEN LIVING WITH IT 25, 955 00:32:17,862 --> 00:32:20,482 28 YEARS. 956 00:32:20,482 --> 00:32:22,931 AND I'M TELLING YOU, I JUST WISH 957 00:32:22,931 --> 00:32:27,241 I COULD CHANGE TIME. 958 00:32:27,241 --> 00:32:30,413 >> ON DAY THREE, JUDGE MASON 959 00:32:30,413 --> 00:32:31,241 QUESTIONED THE ORIGINAL 960 00:32:31,241 --> 00:32:33,068 PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE, DWIGHT 961 00:32:33,068 --> 00:32:35,172 WARREN, ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF 962 00:32:35,172 --> 00:32:38,241 GREG ELKING'S IDENTIFICATION OF 963 00:32:38,241 --> 00:32:40,000 LAMAR JOHNSON. 964 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,103 >> HE TOLD YOU AND OFFICERS THAT 965 00:32:42,103 --> 00:32:44,000 IT WAS BASED UPON HIM LOOKING AT 966 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:45,655 THE EYES BECAUSE THAT WAS ALL HE 967 00:32:45,655 --> 00:32:46,724 COULD SEE. 968 00:32:46,724 --> 00:32:47,206 ISN'T THAT CORRECT? 969 00:32:47,206 --> 00:32:48,206 >> I BELIEVE SO. 970 00:32:48,206 --> 00:32:49,896 >> DID HE OR DID HE NOT TELL YOU 971 00:32:49,896 --> 00:32:55,379 THAT ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITHIN 972 00:32:55,379 --> 00:32:55,655 SECONDS. 973 00:32:55,655 --> 00:32:56,206 >> YES. 974 00:32:56,206 --> 00:32:59,310 >> AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDED 975 00:32:59,310 --> 00:33:01,586 WAS SUFFICIENTLY RELIABLE TO 976 00:33:01,586 --> 00:33:02,689 SEEK A MURDER CONVICTION. 977 00:33:02,689 --> 00:33:04,034 TO TAKE TO IT A JURY. 978 00:33:04,034 --> 00:33:05,517 >> YES, SIR. 979 00:33:05,517 --> 00:33:07,103 >> WARREN ADMITTED TO JOHNSON'S 980 00:33:07,103 --> 00:33:08,620 LAWYERS THAT WITHOUT AN 981 00:33:08,620 --> 00:33:10,379 EYEWITNESS, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE 982 00:33:10,379 --> 00:33:12,896 FILED CHARGES IN THE FIRST 983 00:33:12,896 --> 00:33:13,586 PLACE. 984 00:33:13,586 --> 00:33:14,413 >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. 985 00:33:14,413 --> 00:33:16,931 I DIDN'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE. 986 00:33:16,931 --> 00:33:19,068 >> YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR -- 987 00:33:19,068 --> 00:33:21,413 >> ON DAY FOUR, LAMAR JOHNSON 988 00:33:21,413 --> 00:33:24,000 FINALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO DEFEND 989 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:32,965 HIMSELF IN HIS OWN WORDS. 990 00:33:32,965 --> 00:33:34,103 ATTORNEY MIRANDA LOESCH ASKED 991 00:33:34,103 --> 00:33:35,379 HIM ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH 992 00:33:35,379 --> 00:33:37,000 DETECTIVE NICKERSON A FEW DAYS 993 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,482 AFTER THE MURDER. 994 00:33:39,482 --> 00:33:42,517 >> HE'S MY FRIEND. 995 00:33:42,517 --> 00:33:44,448 I DIDN'T SHOOT HIM. 996 00:33:44,448 --> 00:33:44,793 OKAY. 997 00:33:44,793 --> 00:33:46,206 I WILL VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE 998 00:33:46,206 --> 00:33:49,379 IN THE LINEUP. 999 00:33:49,379 --> 00:33:51,931 >> YOU DIDN'T THINK SO? 1000 00:33:51,931 --> 00:33:53,586 >> I DIDN'T COMMIT THE HOMICIDE. 1001 00:33:53,586 --> 00:33:56,000 WHY WOULD I BE CONCERNED THAT I 1002 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,241 HAD EVERYTHING TO LOSE? 1003 00:33:58,241 --> 00:33:59,620 >> AS THE HEARING WEEK NEARED 1004 00:33:59,620 --> 00:34:02,310 THE END, DETECTIVE NICKERSON 1005 00:34:02,310 --> 00:34:03,206 TAKES THE STAND. 1006 00:34:03,206 --> 00:34:05,689 THE MAN ELKING CLAIMS PRESSURED 1007 00:34:05,689 --> 00:34:07,172 HIM INTO FALSELY IDENTIFYING 1008 00:34:07,172 --> 00:34:12,724 JOHNSON. 1009 00:34:12,724 --> 00:34:15,068 >> HE GOES, HEY, I KNOW WHO IT 1010 00:34:15,068 --> 00:34:15,585 IS. 1011 00:34:15,585 --> 00:34:18,241 NUMBER THREE IN THE FIRST LINE 1012 00:34:18,241 --> 00:34:20,068 UP AND NUMBER FOUR IN THE SECOND 1013 00:34:20,068 --> 00:34:20,310 LINEUP. 1014 00:34:20,310 --> 00:34:22,620 >> DID YOU TELL HIM TO SAY THAT? 1015 00:34:22,620 --> 00:34:24,757 >> I DIDN'T TELL HIM TO SAY 1016 00:34:24,757 --> 00:34:25,034 ANYTHING. 1017 00:34:25,034 --> 00:34:26,241 >> BUT THE JUDGE HAD QUESTIONS 1018 00:34:26,241 --> 00:34:27,931 OF HIS OWN FOR NICKERSON. 1019 00:34:27,931 --> 00:34:29,688 >> ARE YOU AWARE THAT YOUR 1020 00:34:29,688 --> 00:34:31,103 WITNESS COULD ONLY RECOGNIZE 1021 00:34:31,103 --> 00:34:34,000 SOME ASPECT OF THE EYES? 1022 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,379 >> I'M AWARE OF THAT. 1023 00:34:36,379 --> 00:34:41,516 >> STAND UP, MR. JOHNSON. 1024 00:34:41,516 --> 00:34:42,862 I'M CURIOUS. 1025 00:34:42,862 --> 00:34:44,931 WHAT IN THE WORLD IS DISTINCTIVE 1026 00:34:44,931 --> 00:34:47,068 ABOUT THIS MAN'S EYES? 1027 00:34:47,068 --> 00:34:49,206 >> YOU CAN TELL HIS EYES ARE 1028 00:34:49,206 --> 00:34:49,482 DIFFERENT. 1029 00:34:49,482 --> 00:34:50,688 >> TELL ME. 1030 00:34:50,688 --> 00:34:52,068 >> I CAN TELL THAT HIS RIGHT EYE 1031 00:34:52,068 --> 00:34:54,068 IS DIFFERENT FROM HIS LEFT. 1032 00:34:54,068 --> 00:34:59,758 ONE IS LOWER OR HIGHER THAN THE 1033 00:34:59,758 --> 00:35:00,000 OTHER. 1034 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:00,758 >> OKAY. 1035 00:35:00,758 --> 00:35:03,586 >> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE 1036 00:35:03,586 --> 00:35:04,827 INVOLVEMENT OF JUDGE MASON IN 1037 00:35:04,827 --> 00:35:05,413 THIS CASE? 1038 00:35:05,413 --> 00:35:07,413 >> THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST 1039 00:35:07,413 --> 00:35:10,448 UNIQUE THINGS I'VE SEEN IN ANY 1040 00:35:10,448 --> 00:35:11,379 TRIAL I'VE EVER COVERED. 1041 00:35:11,379 --> 00:35:14,000 >> THE COLUMNIST COVERED THE 1042 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:15,793 CASE FOR THE ST. LOUIS POST 1043 00:35:15,793 --> 00:35:16,034 DISPATCH. 1044 00:35:16,034 --> 00:35:17,448 >> HE DIDN'T JUST ASK QUESTIONS. 1045 00:35:17,448 --> 00:35:20,689 HE TOOK OVER THE QUESTIONING AT 1046 00:35:20,689 --> 00:35:21,137 TIMES. 1047 00:35:21,137 --> 00:35:24,103 AND MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHEN HE 1048 00:35:24,103 --> 00:35:26,241 WAS BELIEVING SOMETHING AND WHEN 1049 00:35:26,241 --> 00:35:27,448 HE WASN'T. 1050 00:35:27,448 --> 00:35:30,482 >> AFTER FIVE DAYS OF WITNESSES, 1051 00:35:30,482 --> 00:35:33,034 COURT ADJOURNED. 1052 00:35:33,034 --> 00:35:34,758 WITH HIS FREEDOM ON THE LINE, 1053 00:35:34,758 --> 00:35:37,103 JOHNSON WAS TAKEN TO A ST. LOUIS 1054 00:35:37,103 --> 00:35:41,172 JAIL TO WAIT FOR JUDGE MASON'S 1055 00:35:41,172 --> 00:35:41,448 DECISION. 1056 00:35:41,448 --> 00:35:43,103 >> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO NOT FIGHT 1057 00:35:43,103 --> 00:35:45,034 FOR MY INNOCENCE. 1058 00:35:45,034 --> 00:35:46,137 TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WAS WRONGFULLY 1059 00:35:46,137 --> 00:35:50,655 TAKEN FROM ME. 1060 00:35:50,655 --> 00:35:52,172 >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE JUDGE 1061 00:35:52,172 --> 00:36:05,068 >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE JUDGE SHOULD DO IN THIS CA 1062 00:36:05,068 --> 00:36:09,586 SHOULD DO IN THIS CA 1063 00:36:09,586 --> 00:36:13,620 >>> IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD. 1064 00:36:13,620 --> 00:36:15,344 WE HEARD EVERYTHING IN COURT. 1065 00:36:15,344 --> 00:36:18,827 >> LAMAR JOHNSON'S DAUGHTER, 1066 00:36:18,827 --> 00:36:20,758 KIERA BARROW HAS FINALLY HEARD 1067 00:36:20,758 --> 00:36:22,206 WHAT HAPPENED TO HER FATHER SO 1068 00:36:22,206 --> 00:36:23,275 MANY YEARS AGO. 1069 00:36:23,275 --> 00:36:26,379 >> THE MISCONDUCT AND THE 1070 00:36:26,379 --> 00:36:27,827 NEGLIGENCE THAT OCCURRED. 1071 00:36:27,827 --> 00:36:29,793 THE HARDEST THING WAS JUST THAT 1072 00:36:29,793 --> 00:36:32,586 GREG LIED KNOWING THAT HIS 1073 00:36:32,586 --> 00:36:36,448 TESTIMONY DID PUT HIM IN JAIL. 1074 00:36:36,448 --> 00:36:39,068 >> BRITNEY JOHNSON BELIEVES HIS 1075 00:36:39,068 --> 00:36:41,965 LIES ROBBED HER OF TIME WITH HER 1076 00:36:41,965 --> 00:36:42,103 DAD. 1077 00:36:42,103 --> 00:36:43,620 >> I'M VERY ANGRY. 1078 00:36:43,620 --> 00:36:44,965 >> THIS IS HARD. 1079 00:36:44,965 --> 00:36:46,137 >> IT'S VERY HARD. 1080 00:36:46,137 --> 00:36:49,931 I HATE THAT I'M CRYING RIGHT 1081 00:36:49,931 --> 00:36:50,068 NOW. 1082 00:36:50,068 --> 00:36:53,551 THERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT 1083 00:36:53,551 --> 00:36:53,862 ROLE. 1084 00:36:53,862 --> 00:36:55,793 >> BUT THEIR WAIT ISN'T OVER. 1085 00:36:55,793 --> 00:36:57,689 TWO MONTHS PASS WITH NO DECISION 1086 00:36:57,689 --> 00:37:00,034 FROM THE JUDGE. 1087 00:37:00,034 --> 00:37:03,206 KIERA IS HOPING IT HAPPENS SOON. 1088 00:37:03,206 --> 00:37:07,103 >> WE'VE BEEN ROBBED OF SO MANY 1089 00:37:07,103 --> 00:37:09,379 OPPORTUNITIES AND MILESTONES. 1090 00:37:09,379 --> 00:37:13,793 I'M GETTING MARRIED IN APRIL OF 1091 00:37:13,793 --> 00:37:16,103 THIS YEAR. 1092 00:37:16,103 --> 00:37:21,275 IT WOULD JUST MEAN SO MUCH TO 1093 00:37:21,275 --> 00:37:23,034 ME, AND I KNOW MY FATHER, TO 1094 00:37:23,034 --> 00:37:25,931 HAVE HIM THERE WITH ME. 1095 00:37:25,931 --> 00:37:28,758 FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO GIVE ME 1096 00:37:28,758 --> 00:37:28,965 AWAY. 1097 00:37:28,965 --> 00:37:30,586 >> FINALLY, ON A TUESDAY 1098 00:37:30,586 --> 00:37:33,517 AFTERNOON IN FEBRUARY, JOHNSON'S 1099 00:37:33,517 --> 00:37:36,586 FAMILY AND FRIENDS RETURNED TO 1100 00:37:36,586 --> 00:37:37,310 THE COURTROOM. 1101 00:37:37,310 --> 00:37:39,379 LAWYERS WITH THE REPLIES MS. 1102 00:37:39,379 --> 00:37:40,413 ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE 1103 00:37:40,413 --> 00:37:43,034 FIGHTING JOHNSON'S RELEASE ARE 1104 00:37:43,034 --> 00:37:43,965 AT ONE TABLE. 1105 00:37:43,965 --> 00:37:46,655 AT THE OTHER, THE TEAM TRYING TO 1106 00:37:46,655 --> 00:37:48,758 WIN JOHNSON'S FREEDOM. 1107 00:37:48,758 --> 00:37:51,586 SEATED NEXT TO JOHNSON, HIS 1108 00:37:51,586 --> 00:37:53,448 ATTORNEY, LINDSAY RUNEL. 1109 00:37:53,448 --> 00:37:55,344 >> WHAT SHOULD JUDGE MASON DO IN 1110 00:37:55,344 --> 00:37:56,000 THIS CASE? 1111 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:59,172 >> JUDGE MASON SHOULD VACATE 1112 00:37:59,172 --> 00:38:00,862 THESE CONVICTIONS AND LAMAR 1113 00:38:00,862 --> 00:38:04,034 JOHNSON SHOULD WALK OUT OF THE 1114 00:38:04,034 --> 00:38:05,275 COURTROOM TODAY. 1115 00:38:05,275 --> 00:38:06,931 >> ALL RISE! 1116 00:38:06,931 --> 00:38:08,862 >> AFTER BOTH LEGAL TEAMS WERE 1117 00:38:08,862 --> 00:38:12,586 GIVEN COPIES OF HIS FINAL 1118 00:38:12,586 --> 00:38:13,758 OPINION, JUDGE MASON ANNOUNCED 1119 00:38:13,758 --> 00:38:18,172 HIS DECISION ON FEBRUARY 14th, 1120 00:38:18,172 --> 00:38:18,379 2023. 1121 00:38:18,379 --> 00:38:22,241 >> AFTER REVIEWING BOTH THE 1122 00:38:22,241 --> 00:38:24,862 UNDERLYING TRIAL, AS WELL AS THE 1123 00:38:24,862 --> 00:38:28,896 ENTIRETY OF THE HEARING, FOR THE 1124 00:38:28,896 --> 00:38:32,034 REASONS STATED ABOVE, I HERE BY 1125 00:38:32,034 --> 00:38:35,034 ORDER THE MOTION OF THE CIRCUIT 1126 00:38:35,034 --> 00:38:36,241 ATTORNEY FILED HERE IN FOR THE 1127 00:38:36,241 --> 00:38:40,689 BENEFIT OF LAMAR JOHNSON IS 1128 00:38:40,689 --> 00:38:44,931 GRANTED. 1129 00:38:44,931 --> 00:38:50,172 THE CONVICTION OF LAMAR JOHNSON 1130 00:38:50,172 --> 00:38:56,448 JOHNSON -- IS HERE BY SET ASIDE 1131 00:38:56,448 --> 00:38:59,517 AND HELD FOR NAUGHT. 1132 00:38:59,517 --> 00:39:01,793 >> HIS MURDER CONVICTION WAS 1133 00:39:01,793 --> 00:39:02,068 OVERTURNED. 1134 00:39:02,068 --> 00:39:03,413 TELL JUDGE ALSO FOUND THAT THERE 1135 00:39:03,413 --> 00:39:05,103 WAS CLEAR AND CONVINCING 1136 00:39:05,103 --> 00:39:08,275 EVIDENCE OF JOHNSON'S INNOCENCE. 1137 00:39:08,275 --> 00:39:11,344 AFTER MORE THAN 28 YEARS BEHIND 1138 00:39:11,344 --> 00:39:13,758 BARS, HE WAS MORE THAN A FREE 1139 00:39:13,758 --> 00:39:14,344 MAN. 1140 00:39:14,344 --> 00:39:16,448 49-YEAR-OLD LAMAR JOHNSON HAD 1141 00:39:16,448 --> 00:39:18,931 FINALLY BEEN EXONERATED. 1142 00:39:18,931 --> 00:39:21,103 >> BAILIFF? 1143 00:39:21,103 --> 00:39:29,344 THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED. 1144 00:39:29,344 --> 00:39:31,172 >> THIS TIME HE WOULD LEAVE THE 1145 00:39:31,172 --> 00:39:33,896 COURTHOUSE NOT IN A PRISON VAN 1146 00:39:33,896 --> 00:39:37,310 BUT IN A BLACK SEDAN. 1147 00:39:37,310 --> 00:39:40,000 >> WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I ASKED 1148 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,724 YOU TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF. 1149 00:39:42,724 --> 00:39:44,655 >> MY NAME IS LAMAR JOHNSON. 1150 00:39:44,655 --> 00:39:46,586 I'VE BEEN IN PRISON 26 YEARS 1151 00:39:46,586 --> 00:39:48,620 NOW. 1152 00:39:48,620 --> 00:39:50,310 >> IF I ASKED YOU TO IDENTIFY 1153 00:39:50,310 --> 00:39:51,551 LAMAR JOHNSON RIGHT NOW, WHAT 1154 00:39:51,551 --> 00:39:52,896 WOULD YOU SAY? 1155 00:39:52,896 --> 00:39:54,758 >> I AM A FREE MAN. 1156 00:39:54,758 --> 00:39:56,275 AN EXONERATED MAN. 1157 00:39:56,275 --> 00:39:58,482 AND A BLESSED MAN. 1158 00:39:58,482 --> 00:40:00,896 >> HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO HAVE 1159 00:40:00,896 --> 00:40:03,206 GREG ELKING TAKE THE STAND AND 1160 00:40:03,206 --> 00:40:04,896 TELL THE JUDGE WHAT HE HAD DONE 1161 00:40:04,896 --> 00:40:05,758 AT TRIAL? 1162 00:40:05,758 --> 00:40:08,482 >> THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. 1163 00:40:08,482 --> 00:40:10,758 HE INTENTIONALLY, YOU KNOW, 1164 00:40:10,758 --> 00:40:12,862 FALSELY IDENTIFIED ME. 1165 00:40:12,862 --> 00:40:14,413 BUT KNOWING THAT HE ACKNOWLEDGED 1166 00:40:14,413 --> 00:40:16,586 THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE, HE TOOK 1167 00:40:16,586 --> 00:40:19,793 STEPS TO TRY TO CORRECT IT. 1168 00:40:19,793 --> 00:40:21,724 AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO 1169 00:40:21,724 --> 00:40:24,206 HIM FOR THAT. 1170 00:40:24,206 --> 00:40:26,137 >> AND DURING THAT TIME HE SPENT 1171 00:40:26,137 --> 00:40:28,724 IN PRISON, HE SAYS HE NEVER 1172 00:40:28,724 --> 00:40:30,586 FORGOT ABOUT HIS FRIEND MARKUS 1173 00:40:30,586 --> 00:40:33,241 BOYD WHO DIED THAT NIGHT. 1174 00:40:33,241 --> 00:40:35,655 >> I DIDN'T WANT MARKUS'S FAMILY 1175 00:40:35,655 --> 00:40:38,551 THINKING THAT I DID THIS TO HIM. 1176 00:40:38,551 --> 00:40:40,310 I GENUINELY CARED ABOUT MARKUS. 1177 00:40:40,310 --> 00:40:41,827 MARKUS WAS A GOOD GUY. 1178 00:40:41,827 --> 00:40:44,172 >> IN THE MEANTIME, JOHNSON IS 1179 00:40:44,172 --> 00:40:45,482 STARTING OVER. 1180 00:40:45,482 --> 00:40:48,482 HIS FRIEND RICKY KIDD KNOWS IT 1181 00:40:48,482 --> 00:40:49,517 WON'T BE EASY. 1182 00:40:49,517 --> 00:40:51,896 >> IT WILL BE TOUGH. 1183 00:40:51,896 --> 00:40:55,379 BUT LAMAR HAS THE ABILITY TO 1184 00:40:55,379 --> 00:40:58,310 ADAPT AND ADJUST AND SEE NEW 1185 00:40:58,310 --> 00:40:58,655 OPPORTUNITIES. 1186 00:40:58,655 --> 00:41:00,275 >> WORKED 30 YEARS FOR THE 1187 00:41:00,275 --> 00:41:02,689 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR 1188 00:41:02,689 --> 00:41:03,344 PENNIES. 1189 00:41:03,344 --> 00:41:04,172 I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. 1190 00:41:04,172 --> 00:41:06,551 I HOPE SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO 1191 00:41:06,551 --> 00:41:07,896 GIVE ME A SHOT. 1192 00:41:07,896 --> 00:41:09,620 I WANT TO WORK. 1193 00:41:09,620 --> 00:41:11,931 >> YOU HAVE A DATE COMING UP. 1194 00:41:11,931 --> 00:41:12,689 AN IMPORTANT DATE. 1195 00:41:12,689 --> 00:41:14,620 >> MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS 1196 00:41:14,620 --> 00:41:15,896 GETTING MARRIED. 1197 00:41:15,896 --> 00:41:19,517 AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF I COULD 1198 00:41:19,517 --> 00:41:23,379 DO SOMETHING SPECIALLY NICE FOR 1199 00:41:23,379 --> 00:41:23,586 THEM. 1200 00:41:23,586 --> 00:41:26,241 BUT PRESENCE MATTERS MORE THAN 1201 00:41:26,241 --> 00:41:26,517 PRESENTS. 1202 00:41:26,517 --> 00:41:28,413 AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THE BEST 1203 00:41:28,413 --> 00:41:33,896 AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THE BEST OF THE LIFE I HAVE. 1204 00:41:33,896 --> 00:41:49,827 OF THE LIFE I HAVE.