A Philadelphia man who spent more than 24 years behind bars for a crime he says he didn’t commit was released Monday after his murder conviction was overturned.
Tyree Wallace, 46, was serving a life sentence without parole for a 1997 second-degree murder conviction. That conviction was lifted in Juneand after Wallace pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, he was resentenced Monday.
“I just want to be happy,” Wallace said. “I want to find a way to find some happiness.”
In a courtroom full of supporters, Judge Scott DiClaudio sentenced Wallace to a minimum of 12 years, 4 months and a maximum of 24 years, 8 months of which he had already served.
His sister, Donna Wyche, described the moment as “surreal.”
“We’ve been going through this since he was 19. And he’ll be 47 at the end of this month,” Wyche said. “This will be the first time in a long time that I can call my brother on his real birthday and say, happy birthday.”
Wallace, who has maintained his innocence since his conviction, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit third-degree murder after his original conviction was vacated. His attorney, David Perry, called the outcome “absolutely the best possible outcome short of exoneration.”
The years in prison were meaningful for Wallace despite the circumstances. He founded two non-profit organizations aimed at helping prisoners prepare for release and fighting wrongful convictions, and training young people. His story also reached students in college classrooms, including Rutgers University, where he regularly appeared in class via Zoom.
Hailey Shaw, a Rutgers senior studying social work, was among those who met Wallace via Zoom and showed up for his final court hearing.
“He’s the greatest man, what an inspiration,” Shaw said. “If he can remain hopeful while in prison [24] For years, I can remain hopeful about getting through college.”
In court, Wallace said his family and supporters played an important role in his journey to freedom.
“We’ve had a roller coaster ride throughout this whole process,” Wyche said. “Until I actually heard the words, I wasn’t sure.”
Now that he is free, Wallace has plans for his future. His legal team helped him register to vote, a right he plans to exercise for the first time on Election Day.
“I’m going to vote for Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” Wallace said.
Wallace acknowledged that some have criticized Harris for her background as a prosecutor.
“There was a lot of misinformation about what her criminal record is,” he said. “The reality is she was a prosecutor, so she did her job, but she wasn’t overly punitive when it came to black men.”
According to Wyche, Wallace is also ready to celebrate his newfound freedom in simpler ways, like enjoying family gatherings, finding new clothes and reconnecting with loved ones.
His aunt, Doreen Coleman, believes his faith played a huge role in his journey.
“God answers prayers,” Coleman said. “Hearing the testimonials about how he helped others while he was in prison, I’m just ecstatic about what he’s going to do now that he’s out.”
Rutgers professor John Hulme, whose students advocated for Wallace, said Wallace also had a huge impact on him.
“This is the happy ending we’ve been waiting for,” Hulme said.
Perry said the recently released man will continue his advocacy work.
“If you talk to him, he would say he needs to get to work helping other people now,” Perry said.
Wallace’s supporters plan to hold a welcome party for him Monday night, while his nonprofit will host an election observation party Tuesday night.
