Justice Delayed, But Not Denied: A Man's Fight for Freedom After 30 Years

For almost 30 years, Jimmie Duncan lived behind bars, sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. But in a surprising turn of events, a judge recently overturned his conviction. The reason? The forensic evidence used to convict him was shaky at best. Back in 1998, Duncan was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter. Prosecutors said he raped and drowned the little girl. But decades later, experts testified that the forensic evidence wasn't reliable. They suggested the child's death was an accident. The judge agreed and even allowed Duncan to be released on bail while the case is reviewed. This is a big deal because Louisiana has a history of wrongful convictions. In fact, it has one of the highest rates in the nation. Duncan's legal team is pushing for his complete exoneration. They say the new evidence proves his innocence. Meanwhile, the mother of the little girl, who initially believed Duncan was guilty, now supports him. She thinks her daughter's death was an accident caused by her health issues. The case highlights a bigger problem: faulty forensic evidence. In this case, bite mark analysis was used to convict Duncan. But this type of evidence has been discredited. It has led to dozens of wrongful convictions. Prosecutors want to reinstate Duncan's conviction, but for now, he's free. He's living with a relative and trying to rebuild his life after three decades in prison.