Bridgeman was sentenced for a 1975 murder that banked on the testimony of a young boy. Last year, that same witness recanted, saying Cleveland police coerced him into saying Bridgeman participated in the murder of a businessman.
Now Bridgeman has his freedom back. He says he’ll use it to connect with family, faith, and poetry.
“Mean we’re gonna get away from everything and everybody, try do something on our own, by ourself," says Bridgeman. "And we’re thankful to God, y’know. I feel that he made this possible for us, all the things we could’ve done, y’know.”
Bridgeman’s brother, Kwame Ajamu, was paroled for the same murder in 2003. He beams when he thinks of their first holiday together.
“Life is just beautiful. I have re-attained this ground with my brother that we’re gonna travel on. After the holidays, we come back to the world and get on with life. But for now, we just gonna be out with ourselves together, and grow.”
Meanwhile, attorneys say they’re working to get those wrongfully convicted compensated for their many years behind bars.