Patrick Pursley spent more than twenty years in prison after he was convicted of the 1993 Rockford murder of Andrew Ascher.
Pursley was recently granted a retrial after he asked for advanced technological testing of the casings and gun that tied him to the case. Rockford Judge Joseph McGraw found Pursley not guilty of the murder on Wednesday morning. Pursley spoke to the press at the Winnebago judicial courthouse with high spirits and gratitude.
"I just feel numb. I never thought that I would see this day or thought it would actually come. This case has more plot twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie," he said.
Pursley said he's now dedicating his time to empowering urban youth in "blighted communities." He createdI Am Kid Culture while incarcerated to use music and education to provide opportunities to local young people.