Lawrence McKinney was wrongly charged with rape and first-degree burglary in Memphis in 1977, and then was sentenced by a jury of his peers to 100 years in prison. He spent roughly the next 32 of those years in prison up until his release in July 2009. 

He can now start his new life spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ after his record was erased yesterday after a more than 35-year wait.

"I spent 31 years, nine months, 18 days and 12 hours in prison," said McKinney to the Lebanon Democrat. "I left with $75."

After receiving Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior, McKinney decided to alter his life for God. Thanks to God and The Innocence Project, he had the opportunity to be set free.

The Innocence Project is a nonprofit legal association dedicated to freeing wrongly convicted people through the use of DNA testing, and to improving the criminal justice system to avoid future injustice. McKinney revealed the Innocence Project acquired his DNA samples on his birthday in May 2008.

The following November, McKinney stated that he learned his guilty verdict was overturned. In January 2009, prison officers told him that he would be free within three weeks. He was finally free from incarceration on July 20, 2009.

"If you find Jesus, he can do the things you need him to do," said McKinney to Lebanon Democrat. "When I found Jesus, I put all my problems in his hands."

After receiving his freedom, McKinney and his wife Dorothy both relocated to Lebanon, Tennessee. Now he ministers to young people at Lebanon Church of God every third Saturday. In addition, he also leads a ministry at Wilson County Jail.

"I was real young when I went to prison," said McKinney to the paper. "I lost a lot of things, going to college, having a job. It took a lot away from me. I take it one day at a time."

John Hunn, pastor of McKinney's home church, Immanuel Baptist Church in Lebanon, said it was great to know McKinney's record is finally clean.

"It's an incredible relief," said Pastor Hunn to LD. "I was pacing all morning awaiting an important decision. I have been so disappointed over the past four years we couldn't get anything done."

Pastor Hunn continued to express his views on McKinney's record being erased.

"There's nothing like this I've ever experienced. It's like a family member being cleared. He wants to vote, and he wants to leave the country to go on some mission journeys. Now he will be able to do that."

McKinney revealed he wants go on mission trips once all of the official procedures related to the process is finished.  He does not have a particular place to start his mission trips.

"It don't make no difference, just as long as I can spread the message about Jesus Christ," said McKinney in an interview.  "I know God was in control. I'm a free man now."