Minnesota juvenile lifer walks free after 18 years in prison
December 16, 2020 8:53AM AKST
Myon Burrell is released from Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, in Bayport, Minn. Minnesota’s pardon board on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, commuted the sentence of Burrell, a Black man who was sent to prison for life as a teen in a high-profile murder case that raised questions about the integrity of the criminal justice system that put him away. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
By ROBIN McDOWELL and MARGIE MASON Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Black man who was sentenced to life behind bars as a teenager has walked out of a Minnesota prison. Myon Burrell’s release came hours after a pardons board commuted his sentence in a high-profile murder case. Burrell took his first steps as a free man Tuesday to the sound of ringing bells and cheers from supporters. His conviction and harsh sentence raised questions about the integrity of the criminal justice system. The Associated Press and APM Reports uncovered new evidence and serious flaws in the police investigation into the 2002 killing. The slaying involved an 11-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet while doing homework at her dining room table.
