Lamar Johnson speaks to the media on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after being released from custody at the Carnahan Courthouse — a part of Missouri’s 22nd Judicial Circuit — in downtown St. Louis. Johnson was released after being convicted and jailed for nearly 30 years for a murder he did not commit.
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings and that's the way I've got to look at life,” Johnson said. “I’m happy to have my life back and I'm gonna try to make the best of it.”
A St. Louis judge ruledTuesdaythat Lamar Johnson should be released from prisonafter spending 28 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit.
Judge David Mason found that two people, Greg Elking and James Howard, provided credible testimony that absolved Johnson in the slaying of Marcus Boyd.
"This combined testimony amounts to clear and convincing evidence that Lamar Johnson is innocent and did not commit the murder of Marcus Boyd either individually or acting with another,” Mason wrote.
After Mason announced his decision, Johnson’s supporters in the courtroom burst into joyous cheers and applause. He later walked out of the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis a free man.
“I want to thank, first off, people who had information about the case and came forward with the truth,” Johnson said to a crowd of reporters and supporters. “All of the people who came out and supported me — this is overwhelming. I just thank everybody. Just thank you.”
See photos from the day below:
Christian Gooden
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Pool Photo
Lamar Johnson, center and his attorneys react on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after St. Louis Circuit Judge David Mason vacated his murder conviction during a hearing at Mel Carnahan Courthouse in St. Louis. Johnson has been serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1995 of killing Marcus Boyd.
Photo by Christian Gooden, POOL
Christian Gooden
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Pool Photo
St. Louis Prosecutor Kimberly M. Gardner sits in attendance on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, during a hearing in which St. Louis Circuit Judge David Mason vacated the murder conviction of Lamar Johnson at the Mel Carnahan Courthouse in St. Louis. Johnson has been serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1995 of killing Marcus Boyd.
Photo by Christian Gooden, POOL
Christian Gooden
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Pool Photo
Erika Barrow, girlfriend to Lamar Johnson, reacts on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after St. Louis Circuit Judge David Mason vacated his murder conviction during a hearing at Mel Carnahan Courthouse in St. Louis. Johnson has been serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1995 of killing Marcus Boyd.
Photo by Christian Gooden, POOL
Christian Gooden
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Pool Photo
Lamar Johnson embraces one of his attorneys on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after St. Louis Circuit Judge David Mason vacated his murder conviction during a hearing at Mel Carnahan Courthouse in St. Louis. Johnson has been serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1995 of killing Marcus Boyd.
Photo by Christian Gooden, POOL
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Mae Johnson, Lamar Johnson’s mother, weeps tears of joy after it was announced he would be released after being wrongfully convicted and spending nearly 30 years in jail on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, outside the St. Louis City Justice Center in downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Erika Barrow, Lamar Johnson’s former girlfriend, Jayla Collins, and Johnson’s daughter Keirra Barrow, wait for Lamar’s release on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, outside of the St. Louis City Justice Center in downtown St. Louis. Johnson was wrongfully convicted for murder and spent nearly 30 years in jail.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Sheriff Vernon Betts explains bureaucratic red tape they have to go through to release Lamar Johnson on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, outside of the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
The Carnahan Courthouse on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lamar Johnson celebrates being released from custody on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at the Carnahan Courthouse — a part of Missouri’s 22nd Judicial Circuit — in downtown St. Louis. Johnson was released after being convicted and jailed for nearly 30 years for a murder he did not commit.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
From left: Lamar Johnson, a man who was wrongfully convicted for murder and jailed for nearly 30 years, Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, and attorney Lindsay Runnels take a photo after Johnson was released on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Kim Gardner, St Louis Circuit Attorney, addresses the media after Lamar Johnson was released after being wrongfully convicted and jailed for nearly 30 years on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, at the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lamar Johnson waves to the media on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after being released from custody at the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. Johnson was released after being convicted and jailed for nearly 30 years for a murder he did not commit.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Maci Morgan, a legal assistant at Morgan Pilate LLC, left, looks over as Erika Barrow, Lamar Johnson’s former girlfriend, hugs Alana McMullin, an attorney with Lathrop GPM, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, after Johnson was released after being imprisoned for nearly 30 years because of a murder he did not commit.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Attorney Lindsay Runnels walks alongside Lamar Johnson after he was released due to a wrongful murder conviction that landed him in jail for nearly 30 years on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, outside of the Carnahan Courthouse outside of Maggie O’Briens in Downtown St. Louis.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Alana McMullin, an attorney with Lathrop GPM, reacts while talking to Lamar Johnson after he was released from prison on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, during a celebratory dinner Maggie O’Briens in Downtown West. Johnson was wrongfully convicted for a murder he did not commit and subsequently served nearly 30 years in prison.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Matthew Jacober, an attorney with Lathrop GPM, fist bumps Lamar Johnson after he was released from prison on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, during a celebratory dinner Maggie O’Briens in Downtown West. Johnson was wrongfully convicted for a murder he did not commit and subsequently served nearly 30 years in prison.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Lamar Johnson after he was released from prison on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, outside Maggie O’Briens in Downtown West. Johnson was wrongfully convicted for a murder he did not commit and subsequently served nearly 30 years in prison. “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings and that's the way I've got to look at life,” he said. “I’m happy to have my life back and I'm gonna try to make the best of it.”
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
A rainbow illuminates downtown St. Louis on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, as seen from Grand Center.
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