Albert Woodfox walks into a courthouse in Louisiana in 2015.
AP
The last of the "Angola 3" was ordered released from prison Friday after spending 43 years in solitary confinement for a homicide he says he never played a role in.
Albert Woodfox, now 69, was ordered released for time served after pleading no contest to manslaughter and aggravated burglary. He had been incarcerated on suspicion of murder in the 1972 stabbing death of a guard at Louisiana State Penitentiary, which is commonly referred to as Angola. No other inmate in the U.S. is believed to have served more time in solitary confinement than Woodfox.
Woodfox was convicted twice for murder in the death of 23-year-old prison guard Brent Miller, and each time his conviction was overturned by a higher court. He appeared poised for freedom last year after a federal judge in Baton Rouge not only ordered his release, but took the additional measure of preventing prosecutors from attempting a third murder trial.
Judi Bottoni / AP
However, his release was blocked after a federal judge granted Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's request for an emergency stay, setting the stage for Friday's ruling.
Woodfox has always maintained his innocence, claiming he was framed in order to prevent his activism with the Black Panther Party chapter inside the penitentiary.
He and the two other men held in solitary confinement — Robert King and Herman Wallace — became known as the Angola 3 because of the prison's proximity to a former slave plantation by the same name.
King and Wallace were released in 2001 and 2013, respectively. Wallace died shortly after his release pending a new trial. King’s conviction was overturned.
LINK: Widow Of Prison Guard Killed In Angola 3 Case Wants Accused Killer Released
LINK: Attorneys Say “Angola 3” Member Poses No Flight Risk, Needs Medical Care
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