Florida Exonerees Celebrate Freedom

Two recent Florida exonerees are celebrating their freedom this holiday season after marking too many New Year’s Days behind bars.

Jamie Bain was freed December 17 after spending 35 years in Florida prisons for a crime DNA now proves he didn’t commit. He served more time for his wrongful conviction than any other DNA exoneree in U.S. history. He spent Christmas at home this year for the first time in 35 years, and said it was

a dream come true

.

The entire time he was in prison, Bain said he dreamed he could spend a Christmas with his mother.

"Wishing and hoping I was with her throughout the years, just wishing and hoping," he said. "Hoping one day I could get out and be with her."

William Dillon spent his second Christmas at home this year, and

a new video documentary and interactive web feature on Florida Today

digs into the details of his wrongful conviction. Dillon served 26 years in prison for a 1981 murder he didn’t commit before he was freed last November.

Both Bain and Dillon were exonerated through the work of the

Innocence Project of Florida

, a member of the

Innocence Network

.