A Texas man wrongfully convicted of rape and robbery has been released from prison after being exonerated by DNA evidence. Cornelius Dupree, Jr. had served 30 years in prison. On Tuesday, Dallas County Judge Don Adams freed Dupree, saying, “You’re free to go. Thank you very much. Sorry for everything.” After his release, Dupree briefly spoke with reporters.

Cornelius Dupree, Jr.: “Well, I’m kind of having a bit of mixed emotions. I’m kind of — I’m happy, and I’m kind of feeling mixed emotions. You know, after 30 years, that’s a hard — that’s a hard walk. I just want to say that I feel that words really won’t make up for what I done lost. You know, I lost both my parents. I just feel that, you know, the system needs to be fixed, by whatever means, you know, so that it just won’t happen to anyone else. That’s about all I have to say.”

Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project, served as one of Dupree’s attorneys.

Barry Scheck: “This is the twentieth post-conviction DNA exoneration in Dallas, more than any other city in the United States. It’s the 40th post-conviction DNA exoneration in the state of Texas, more than any other state in the country. Cornelius Dupree served 30 years in jail, in prison, for a crime he didn’t commit, which is the largest number of years anyone has ever served in the state of Texas for a crime he didn’t commit, exonerated by DNA. And this is just extraordinary when you think about it.”