Starting A New Life
Everyone burst out in tears when they heard the injustice the man had gone through in his life. When he said he was locked out for 37 years, no one could believe it. How did this happen?
But that's not why he was there. He didn't want anyone's pity. He had come to claim what he was denied for almost four decades. He had come to reclaim what he was owed in exchange for half his life. This is the story of the man who didn't let injustice break his spirit.
Archie Williams
Archie Williams was a 59-year-old man from Louisiana who was wrongfully convicted of multiple crimes and sentenced to life in prison. After 37 long years, he walked out an innocent man. The prosecution made a grave mistake.
The day he was freed was Archie's happiest day of his life. He couldn't be happier that justice finally prevailed. It was time for a much-deserved new chapter of his life.
Free Man
He was a free man, but he found it difficult to find a purpose. He felt lost and didn't know where to head from there. No one could repay him for the years he had lost, and while being happy he was free, he was also disappointed at the awful mistake.
Archie was a strong man, though, and never gave up hope no matter what. He had one goal that he never strayed away from. He never lost that.
Different World
Things drastically changed while Archie was locked inside. His friends and family all moved on and had their own lives now. And he was too late to play catch-up. He had to start over. He was glad he was finally labeled innocent as he deserved, but no one prepared him for the world outside.
It all proved to be much more difficult than he expected. Jobs were hard to find, accommodation was expensive, and he often felt like giving up. The only thing that kept him going was his lifelong dream.
22 Years Old
For 37 years, Archie Williams had spent his life in jail for crimes he didn't commit. Convicted in 1983, Archie was sentenced to life without parole. At the time, he was only 22 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him, but things took a sinister turn.
He was sent to jail, and no one had any hope of seeing him getting out. Except for him, that is. As he was innocent, he had hoped all those years that justice would prevail and he would go free.
Savior
With the help of the Innocence's Project, which fought on Archie's behalf for over two decades, they were finally able to persuade a judge to order new fingerprint testing. Just 24 hours later, the results vindicated Archie and implicated Stephen Forbes.
On March 21st, 2019, Archie walked out of prison a free man. He was 22 years old when he went in and 58 when he got out. His life was just beginning, and the road he took right afterward was not easy, but it would lead to an incredible outcome.
Resolution
As soon as he got out, Archie Williams didn't waste any time wallowing in sadness and despair. He was free. He was a new man, and he had big plans for his going forward.
He was focused on one big goal that he had dreamed of since he was inside. And that dream would lead him to unusual things, even if all he wanted to do was to reclaim the time he lost.
Thinking Of Others Like Him
As soon as he got out, Archie Williams had said that there were guys inside who had been there for over 50 years for crimes they didn't commit. They lost all hope, so the mas was now trying to help as many people like him as possible.
When he received the call telling him he was free, the first thing he said to his lawyer was, "Do you know how many people are wrongfully incarcerated today?". Archie was always thinking of others, even when he got what he desired for all these years.
His Dream
While inside, Archie's go-to sport had always been boxing. He even ended up training a boxing team. He did something that was never done there before. He trained the best boxing team that ever came through there.
Archie managed to get all the DOC titles. He had all nine titles and four number-one contender spots. That's something that was never done before then. His other bigger dream was music, though, which would take him on a journey that left everyone baffled.
Time To Shine
The spotlights were on him. Everyone was watching carefully what he was about to do next. When he opened his mouth, he left everyone gasping for air.
Everyone in the room left out a sigh of disbelief. Archie got the go-ahead and took a step forward. He was ready to finally fulfill his lifelong dream, and he wanted all the people to watch.
Extraordinary Talent
He wowed the jury and the audience with his story, but that was just the beginning. That's not why he was at America's Got Talent that day.
When he started singing, everyone's jaws dropped. People were amazed at how good Archie was. He sang just like a man who suffered greatly would sing: with all his heart and soul.
Everyone Cheered On
The audience was in awe. The people couldn't believe what they were seeing. A man with no musical training who's spent most of his life in jail was singing heavenly before them.
Everyone cheered Archie on and applauded fiercely. He sang an Elton John song, and his performance impressed the jury so much that they sent him to the show's semifinals.
Semifinals
Reaching the semifinals, Archie Williams had once again impressed the audience with his incredible performance. His musical talent was off the charts. Everyone in the audience was singing along with him.
He finally achieved his dream of singing in front of millions and raising awareness for the many wrongful incarcerations in the United States. He left home that night a happy man.
Steve Harvey Show
What he got him through those 37 years inside was hope, dedication, his passion for boxing and music, and something unusual. Another thing that got him through those awful years was getting to watch the Steve Harvey Show whenever he had the chance.
And he always wished that one day he would come on the show and tell his story. His wish came true. He was invited to be on the show, and he admitted to Steve Harvey that his show gave him that extra strength he needed to go on.
Innocent
Innocence Project took on Archie's case in 1996. They started making requests to get access to fingerprint evidence from the crime scene because the person who did all that Archie was accused of had left their fingerprints behind. The team knew at trial that those fingerprints didn't belong to Archie.
In 1999 they made the first request to access the fingerprints and search for the real culprit in the database. It took the team 20 years to get that search. Right now, the laws are set against people who are convicted. So it's tough for convicted people to get access to new evidence to prove it. So Archie, together with the Innocence Project, is working hard to change this and hopefully free more innocent people from wrongful incarcerations.