James Woodard is now 55 years old and he spent more time in prison than any other wrongfully convicted inmate in U.S. history. It is an unforgivable record. Mr. Woodard said he intends to help the Innocence Project of Texas, which worked to release him from prison, however he can now that he is finally out of jail.

James Lee Woodard Free: Assisted by Innocence Project

"Unfortunately, you're not getting justice today," State District Judge Mark Stoltz told Mr. Woodard. "You're getting the end of injustice." DNA testing freed Woodard a full 27 years and four months after being wrongly convicted finally exonerated him.


"After a careful review of the files in this case by our Conviction Integrity Unit, it is apparent that James Woodard did not have a fair trial back in 1981 and the results of his post-conviction DNA test exclude him as the perpetrator of any sexual assault that may have occurred, making him eligible for bond while we finalise our investigation on this case," Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins said in a news release.

"I thank God for letting me live through the experience," said Mr. Woodard. "I never learned to give up, especially when I'm right." According to the Innocence project, Woodard now becomes the 18th person in Dallas County to have his conviction cast aside with the assistance of DNA test results that proved their innocence.