A recently freed man who spent 28 years in prison for a murder he did not commit has met his longtime pen pal for the first time.
Lamar Johnson was imprisoned for 28 years after being convicted of murder for the October 1994 death of Marcus Boyd, who was shot dead by two masked men on his front porch in St Louis, Missouri.
Police and prosecutors had always believed the murder was part of a dispute over drug money, but Johnson always maintained he had not been at home when the attack took place.
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Johnson claimed to be with his girlfriend on that night, with him only nipping out for a few minutes to complete a drug sale, several blocks from where Boyd was shot dead.
Erika Barrow, who was Johnson’s girlfriend at the time, testified that she was with him all night, bar the five-minute period when he left to make the drug sale.
She also explained how it wouldn't be possible for Johnson to get to Boyd in that period and also return back to her.
After it was said that there was 'reliable evidence of actual innocence - evidence so reliable that it actually passes the standard of clear and convincing,' Johnson was finally allowed to walk free after 28 years in prison.
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After his release, Johnson did not take questions from the press, but his lawyers said he now plans to reconnect with his family and enjoy experiences he was denied for most of his adult life.
They said: "While today brings joy, nothing can restore all that the state stole from him. Nothing will give him back the nearly three decades he lost while separated from his daughters and family.
"The evidence that proved his innocence was available at his trial, but it was kept hidden or ignored by those who saw no value in the lives of two young Black men from the South Side."
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And one person that Johnson is certainly getting to know is 80-year-old retired schoolteacher Ginny Schrappen, who had been writing to him while he was in prison.
The two grew rather close over a 20-year period, with Schrappen saying straight away she could tell that Johnson was innocent.
After his release, Johnson got to finally meet Schrappen, where she gave him a warm welcome, a tour, plus his favourite cereal.
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And of course, the retired schoolteacher also provided Johnson one last letter for old times sake.
But for Johnson, the greatest gift he could ever get from Schrappen is the confidence she installed in him.
Speaking to CBS News, he said: "Especially when somebody is innocent, you want someone to believe in you.
"Because when you have people who believe in you and they won't give up on you, then it makes it harder for you to give up on yourself."
Callum Jones