Man declared wrongfully convicted can seek compensation

COLUMBUS (AP) -- A man who spent 26 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit was declared wrongfully convicted by a judge, clearing the way for him to go to court to seek a compensation from the state.
The ruling Wednesday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court finalizes Prosecutor Ron O'Brien's agreement not to pursue a civil trial against Gary James, 53, of Columbus. He was released from prison in 2003 when his conviction was overturned because of new evidence, including fingerprints from the crime scene.
James and childhood friend Timothy Howard were convicted of the murder of a guard during a 1976 bank robbery in Columbus..
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