A man who spent around 24 years in prison for a murder that he never committed has been pardoned.
Donte Sharpe was granted a full pardon by the North Caroline Governor on Friday this week despite the fact that a witness of the case admitted that she had lied.
Sharpe was just 19 when he was sentenced in 1995 for murdering George Radcliffe, 33, during a drug deal.
Sharpe spent over 2 decades to clear his name despite a key witness admitting in the court that she had lied before in court.
At the time, the case relied on a 15-year-old girl to give evidence.
The girl claimed that she saw Sharpe kill Radcliffe but later told the court that she was not present at the scene when the shooting happened.
After his release, Sharpe is eligible to apply for compensation of up to $750,000.
North Caroline Governor, Roy Copper , said that they are granting him a Pardon of Innocence.
They added:
I have carefully reviewed Dontae Sharpe’s case and am granting him a Pardon of Innocence. Mr Sharpe and others who have been wrongly convicted deserve to have that injustice fully and publicly acknowledged.
Sharpe maintained his innocence throughout his sentence and refused to take a lighter sentence in exchange for a guilty plea.
After being declared that he was innocent, Sharpe said that he was in a haze.
He explained:
I’m still in a haze, kind of. When you’re dealing with us human beings, it can go any way, yes and no. I didn’t know what to expect. I was believing for a pardon. My family’s name has been cleared. It’s a burden off of my shoulders and my family’s shoulders.
Right now, he wants to help others that are currently in jail because of wrongful conviction.
He said:
My freedom is still incomplete as long as there’s still people going to prison wrongfully, if there’s still people in prison wrongfully and there’s still people that are waiting on pardons. I’ve been in there and know there are guys that are innocent and know that our system is corrupt and needs to be changed.
He deserves more than $750,000.