A Kansas city man who was jailed for more than 40 years for three murders was released from prison after a judge ruled that he was wrongfully convicted in 1979.

62 year old Kevin Strickland was released Tuesday, and has always maintained he had nothing to do with the killings when he was 18 years old.

Strickland was convicted in the deaths of 21 year old Larry Ingram, 20 year old John Walker, and 22 year old Sherrie Black at a home in Kansas City.

He was convicted of one count of capital murder and two counts of second degree murder.

Judge James Welsh ruled after a three day evidential hearing requested by a Jackson County prosecutor who said evidence used to convict Strickland had since been disproven or recanted.


Welsh wrote in his judgment that, "...clear and convincing evidence" was presented that, "...undermines the court's confidence in the judgment of conviction."


Welsh also wrote that a key witness, Cynthia Douglas, had doubts soon after the conviction.

Douglas was the only person to survive the shootings in 1978 and initially identified Strickland as one of the four shooters.

Welsh wrote that her doubts came after conviction but she was hesitant to act for fear of perjury.

She later said in a testimony from a hearing that she was pressured by police to identify Strickland and then tried for years to alert legal and political experts to help her prove that she ID'd the wrong man.

She passed away in 2015.