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Illinois man who spent 22 years in prison for murders he didn’t commit starts life over

An Illinois man, wrongly convicted for a double murder he didn’t commit, says he thought about suicide while behind bars but he didn’t want to hurt ...

GALESBURG, Illinois- An Illinois man, wrongly convicted for a double murder he didn't commit, says he thought about suicide while behind bars but he didn't want to hurt his loved ones.

"There were days I didn't want to live. I would talk about suicide but I knew it would hurt my children and my family, so I kept pushing," said Eddie Bolden, 46, now of Galesburg.

Bolden spent 22 years in prison but was released Tuesday, April 26, 2016, after prosecutors announced they would not re-try the Chicago man.

"Freedom, it tastes great, it's great," he said.

Bolden was convicted and sentenced to life for the 1994 double murder, all based on the testimony of one witness.

Bolden said  evidence was destroyed in the case, like a 9-1-1 call that would have helped his alibi.

Three witnesses who would have bolstered his defense were never even interviewed by Chicago detectives at the time.

Bolden says without money to pay attorneys and private investigators, he was in trouble.

"There's no way you can get a fair trial when you can't even get an investigator, a proper investigation," he said.

"They had the 9-1-1 tape and my trial attorney subpoenaed the tape but it had been destroyed," he said.

So, while serving the life sentence, Bolden studied law books. Every. Single. Day.

"I buried myself in those books. Ten, 12 hours a day. For so many  years," he said.

Meanwhile, he stayed strong for his three kids and family.

"I not only told them I loved them, I told them I was innocent, and I begged them not to give up on me," he said.

A private investigator, impressed with his work on the case, tracked down the three key witnesses. A new lawyer took the case, and in January, Bolden was granted a new trial.

Prosecutors dropped the charges last week, and Bolden walked out of Statesville Prison into the arms of his family, a free man.

"I don't know how he did it. Extraordinary, that's what type of person he is. Anybody else would have given up," said his sister, Ricquia LaNore, of Galesburg.

"He missed out on a lot," she said.

But on Sunday, Bolden was able to watch his youngest son graduate from college in Indiana. He bought sunglasses to try and hide the tears he cried.

It didn't work.

"I cried when he started walking toward the stage. I cried when he got on the stage. I cried when he started walking toward me. I hugged him, and he said, 'Pops, settle down, get yourself together,'" the proud father recalled.

He is living in Galesburg right now  and does not want to return to Chicago.

"I'm afraid of Chicago police officers. I'm petrified of them. So I want to be here," he said.

He rattled off a list of fellow prisoners who he believes are innocent, victims of not having the money to pay good attorneys to take their case.

"There are lots of Eddie Boldens. Absolutely," he said.

But right now, he is feeling the joy of not being locked up. He hopes to help troubled kids, and tell his story.

"I'm not angry at no one. I just want to live and I want to help people.  Those people that framed me? One is dead, and I hear the other is just miserable," he said.

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