Lake County man free after 18 years in jail for wrongful conviction

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Thursday, February 18, 2016
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation released this image of former inmate Luther Jones.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation released this image of former inmate Luther Jones.
KGO-TV

A Lake County man is now free after spending 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

A judge ordered the release of 71-year-old Luther Jones when his accuser recanted her claim that Jones molested her when she was 10 years old.

The woman, now 30, says her mother made her lie about it 20 years ago, because she was battling Jones over custody of their two-year-old daughter.

Jones will receive almost a $1 million from the state. The mother could now face criminal charges.

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