An American has been released from prison after serving a 38-year sentence. Maurice Hastings, 69, had been convicted of rape, murder and two attempted murders but DNA tests revealed the perpetrator was someone else.

“I’ve been praying for years for this day to come,” he said at a press conference after his release. “I don’t blame anyone, I’m not a bitter man. I just want to enjoy the rest of my life now that I have him back.”

Hastings was arrested after a woman’s body was found in the trunk of a car in Los Angeles. It was determined that she had been raped and murdered with a firearm.

Although he always maintained his innocence, a jury sentenced him to life in prison without prospect of parole. He narrowly escaped the death penalty because the jury failed to reach a consensus.

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At the time of the murder, no DNA testing had been performed for evidence found at the crime scene. A request by Hastings in 2000 to this effect was rejected. Only during research by an interest group last year did it become clear that it was not his genetic material.

The tracks turned out to be from a person convicted of armed kidnapping. This person had raped his victim and locked him in the trunk of a car. This suspect died in prison in 2020.

The prosecutor who oversaw the release says it was a terrible injustice to Hastings. He commended his persistence in forcing an investigation. “Your tenacity makes you a free man today.”