Transcript for:
Exoneration Journey - James Harden Jr. and Jonathan Bar

you still have that letter can I see that this is it you still have it this is like wow this is wow Mr she I'm confident that whenever the DNA test is done it will show my innocence and this miscarriage of Justice you are the best of the best when it comes to DNA evidence this is pretty much known throughout the country and I desperately need your help greetings I'm James Harden Jr I'm writing you this letter in sincere hope that you could be able to help me and my brother Jonathan bar regain our freedom my name is Jonathan bar and I was wrongfully convicted of a murder and a rape of my friend katrice Matthews and I spent almost 20 years in prison for that crime I spent 15 years inside a prison I spent 11 years and 3 months in prison 20 years 9 months 5 days in prison for a crime I didn't commit the system failed us you know uh tremendously it failed us what happened to this female is wrong and the real rapist has confessed to attacking her alone they allowed the victim to be shown mug shots all the mug shots was in black and white with the exception of my ID she basically focused on that my ID picture and when she saw me in the lineup within 5 minutes after being shown mug shot she identify me as her attacker it was a bite mark on the victim and the odontologist said that my teth was the one that made this bike Mark there was DNA evidence that excluded us from being you know the uh donors of the semen that was found inside of kric but I guess because they had these iron cly statements from codefendants in our case they still proceeded you know we were prosecuted and found guilty I gave up in prison several times I thought I don't know how many appeals I filed I had just got Deni Pro for the fifth time and one of the counselors that was working there uh he you know he pulled me he wasn't my counselor he just pulled me to the side he said look he said Marvin you know there's an organization out there that may be able to help you I had a lot of support from Anderson project they were very very helpful that day I heard about the DNA testing and I was excluded I was overwhelmed with joy it was a great relief to be able to walk out of there a free man after 14 years I'm able to spend time with my grandkids I can hold them in my arms I can take them to church take them out to eat my mom was suffering from dementia and congestive heart failure despite of what her body was saying her spirit was like I can't die until my son gets out of prison and she was able to see me completely exonerated on TV and right after that she died she died at peace I wish my parents would have lived longer to see this but I know in spirit they're here and they will continue to be here for as long as I am here and as long as my daughter is here and if I am to have any more children they will live through them you know but I'm thankful I'm thankful to be home I I can remember my first day coming home from prison I set up and watched the sun come up that morning you know and you see the sun like every morning rise in prison but to actually feel it you know as a free man outside of defences it was a totally different experience you know um the whole time I'm watching it coming up I'm saying I'm free you know I I'm truly free and without this organization a lot of men and women who are but freed now would not have been freed and I ain't one of those men [Music]