After spending nearly 40 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, a Michigan man is finally free as new evidence prompted a judge to throw out his conviction on July 23.
Paul Clark was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in 1987 for the shooting death of Trifu Vasilije during an attempted robbery in Highland Park, Mich. His legal team worked on appealing his conviction for years as Clark maintained his innocence.
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Finally, in 2020, there was an important break in the case, when the Wayne County prosecutor’s office found a man’s mug shot who was arrested in Highland Park for a similar crime in 1987. According to the Associated Press, the man in the mug shot had a fresh wound on his face — an important detail to the case because the victim was discovered with a knife in his hand. Clark’s legal team did not have access to the photo during his trial.
After years of appealing his wrongful conviction, Clark’s legal team is relieved that their persistence and Clark’s determination have finally paid off.
“Paul is a walking reminder of what it means to be free. Throughout his wrongful incarceration, he was fighting for his innocence, and finally, he was heard,” Clark’s lawyer, Shereef Hadi Akeel, told PEOPLE. “Paul’s freedom is a testament to his innocence and a relief for his family.”
“I am so amazed right now. I just can’t believe it. I have waited for this day my entire life,” Clark’s now 36-year-old daughter DeAngelic Clark told The Detroit Free Press. Born just after her father was sent to prison in 1987, she’s lived most of her life without her dad.
For his part, Clark, who has been out on bond since May, is looking forward to life as a free man with his family and the opportunity to get back to doing something he loves – cutting hair.
“I want to get my life started back up. I want to get back to work,” Clark told the AP in an interview. “I’ve been cutting hair all my life. I want to get back in the barbershop.”
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