Kenneth Ireland was still a teenager when he was convicted for the rape and murder of a 30-year-old mother of four, Barbara Pelkey. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. This month prosecutors dropped all charges against him after DNA evidence ruled him out as the perpetrator of the crime.
In a similar case, James Tillman spent 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Tillman was awarded $5 million in a settlement with the state.
There’s no word yet on what Ireland’s next steps will be or whether he’ll seek similar compensation.