A nan who advocates say was convicted on false testimony appeared in court on Thursday.

Lester Owens is in prison after being convicted in a July 2007 shooting in the Grand Crossing neighborhood. Two people were wounded in the shooting, in which four masked people in a gold sport-utility vehicle opened fire on a group in the 7300 block of South Greenwood Avenue, according to the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

The alliance said the real shooter has written a statement saying Owens was not responsible or present at the shooting. The alliance added that Owens was recording music at Head Knockaz Studio miles away at 35th and Paulina streets in McKinley Park at the time.

On Thursday, Owens will have a third-stage evidentiary hearing with witnesses to testify in the case.

Advocates said Chicago police detectives Brian Forberg and Kevin Eberle coerced witnesses into testifying to convict Owens.

The hearing was part of a campaign to free people who were wrongly convicted.