Two Illinois cousins, wrongfully imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit, were released after 42 years behind bars—marking the latest in a series of exonerations this week involving innocent individuals wrongly held for decades.
James Soto, 62, and David Ayala, 60, will now spend the holidays with their families for the first time since 1981 when they were convicted.
They served the longest wrongful conviction sentence in state history and plan to use their newfound freedom to help others.
Soto, who earned a bachelor’s degree while incarcerated, intends to go to law school to assist people facing similar situations.
