Montoyae Dontae Sharpe, who spent 24 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, has been pardoned. The North Carolina man was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 after a “key witness,” named Charlene Johnson, lied on the stand and said she had witnessed Sharpe murder George Radcliffe. According to the New York Times, Johnson later said she had made up the story and was “not present at the time of the shooting.” Johnson, who was 15 at the time, reportedly pieced together her story based on “what she saw on television and what investigators told her.”

Sharpe can sue the state due to his wrongful imprisonment, and could receive up to $750,000 in compensation. There were celebrations outside of the courthouse from activists and religious leaders who supported Sharpe’s appeals. Sharpe told the Times, “I know there are more cases out there like mine because the system isn’t perfect. We can change the system and my case is just a stepping stone for me to step out and help change the system.”