William Johnson spent nearly two decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. In this first episode of Exonerated: The Cost of Wrongful Convictions, he sits down with Dr. James Peterson to tell his story—how misconduct and false testimony led to his conviction, how he kept his mind strong in prison, and what it means to come home after 18 years.

In 2009, William was wrongfully convicted of a 2005 murder, two years after a first trial ended without a conviction. At his retrial, written statements from a co-defendant who had already admitted lying—and refused to testify—were used against him. The Pennsylvania Innocence Project later uncovered major flaws in the case, including problems with key witness testimony, an undisclosed recantation, and DNA evidence that supported William’s innocence. In 2023, the Commonwealth asked the court to dismiss the charges, citing egregious constitutional violations. In this conversation, William shares the toll of losing 18 years, the routines that helped him survive, and the challenges of coming home. He also reflects on the Pennsylvania Innocence Project’s life-changing advocacy and what it means to rebuild after freedom finally arrives.

“Exonerated: The Cost of Wrongful Conviction” is brought to you by Marrone Law Firm and presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project.