In 1987, decorated Army veteran William “Bill” Bailey was arrested for the shooting death of his friend and later sentenced to life without parole. The case rested on a single eyewitness who has since recanted and a detective’s claim that Bill confessed—an alleged confession that never appeared in any police file. Decades later, a full records review revealed no documentation of a confession, exculpatory statements from Bill, and information pointing to another perpetrator that was never disclosed. After more than 35 years incarcerated, Bill walked out of SCI Phoenix in April 2024 and reunited with his family. In this conversation, he recounts the “bull’s-eye” photo ID, a courtroom culture of deference to a harsh judge, the military mindset that helped him endure, years of letter-writing from an out-of-state prison, and the gratitude that shapes his life now—alongside the Pennsylvania Innocence Project team he calls family.

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

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