It’s another of the sad yet joyful stories of DNA evidence helping prove a man innocent.
In 1974 James Bain, then 19, was sentenced to prison for the kidnapping and rape of a 9 year old boy. Bain protesting his innocence and said he was home watching TV with his sister at the time of the crime. The conviction was based largely on the testimony of the victim who said his attacker had sideburns and a mustache. Another man said he thought that it might be Bain.
Bain has taken an amazingly calm attitude towards the situation, saying that his faith means he does not hold grudges.
He is looking forward to eating fried turkey and drinking Dr. Pepper.
He will also have a great deal to adjust to, for example he used a cellular phone for the first time to call his mother and tell her that he was coming home.
It is a wonderful Christmas gift for us all that an innocent man is free but a sad story that he went from a young 19 year old starting out life to a 54 year old man trying to rebuild his life.