One-On-One With Thomas Raynard James, Exonerated After Spending 30 Years Behind Bars

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Thomas Raynard James was exonerated this week after spending 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

On Thursday he sat down with CBS4 anchor Kendis Gibson.

Kendis asked: "What was it like waking up in a house after 32 years?"

James: "One of the most awesome feelings was waking up in a bed a real bad like my bed. Not able to roll over. But I have to worry about falling out of the bed. Flipped over rolled over a couple of times. You know, spread."

Kendis: "Did you kind of pinch yourself. Do you believe that? This is real?"
James: "Yeah, I definitely believe it because I never stopped believing that it wouldn't happen. So yeah."

"Yeah. I mean, you first got out of jail. You wanted some southern, some comfort food."

Kendis: "Yeah. How was that?"
James: "That was good. That was good. Yeah."

Kendis: "Who is the first person you hugged when you came out?"
James: "My mother"

Kendis: "What was that like?"
James: "For the first time being able to hug her and not be in prison inside of a prison visit, in part was... That was a warm feeling. That was real."

Kendis: "Who got more choked up? Do you think? Did you think this day would come?"
James: "Yeah! Because the truth was, I always felt the truth will eventually come up. And I was gonna force it out. And that's why I would never give up. I would never let up."

"I kept the pressure on because... I told my story to everybody."

Click here to watch the interview in its entirety.