Found Not Guilty In Rape-Murder Retrial, Philly Man Reunites With Jurors
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia man who spent nearly 25 years behind bars for a rape and murder he didn't commit is now a free man.
And less than 24 hours after he regained his freedom, he reunited with the strangers that made it possible.
"It's unbelievable, man," said Tony Wright, who stood in a packed conference room at his lawyer's office. "It's been an unbelievable 24 hours for me."
He thanked and hugged eight of the twelve jurors who delivered the verdict that set him free.
"I've never felt more sure of anything in my entire life than I did when picking this jury," he added.
Twenty three years ago a jury found him guilty of the rape and murder of an elderly neighbor, but this time...
"I'm absolutely thrilled that justice could be served."
Grace Greco served as jury foreman and says DNA linking another man to the crime made the decision clear, and the retrial unnecessary:
"It was a waste of the tax payer's money."
But Wright says he's not bitter, just grateful for his attorneys, family and supporters:
"I'm just living in the moment. I'm on cloud nine."