Archie Williams Inspires Simon Cowell to Become Innocence Project Ambassador
u0022Archie’s performance is probably the single most important one in the history of u0027America’s Got Talent.u0027u0022
05.26.20 By Innocence Staff
America's Got Talent. Pictured: Simon Cowell hugging Archie Williams (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
Simon Cowell came to know of the Innocence Project after a life-changing moment when he met a contestant on America’s Got Talent named Archie Williams. Archie, a 59-year-old man from Louisiana, had spent 36 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
Archie was convicted in 1983 at age 22 and sentenced to life without parole. The Innocence Project took up his case in the mid-’90s and fought for decades to get access to evidence that could prove his innocence, including a search of fingerprint evidence in the FBI database. Twenty-four years later, on March 14, 2019, this request was finally granted.
Within hours, the fingerprint analysis proved Archie’s innocence and seven days later he was released after all his convictions were vacated and charges dismissed.
Archie will appear on the season premiere of “America’s Got Talent” tonight on NBC at 8 PM ET/7 PM CST. Watch his story below or on Facebook. Archie’s audition was released online on Friday, May 22nd, and by Monday, over 50 million people had viewed his performance of Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”.
I just watched this video from xfactor of Archie. I was moved beyond words. I am so happy to see Simon pursued helping people like Archie. Phenomenal.