An Avoyelles Parish judge granted a motion to remove the judge presiding over the Vincent Simmons case because of his past ties to potential witnesses.
Simmons was convicted in 1977 on two lesser counts of attempted aggravated rape. He's serving a 100-year sentence in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
His case has been held up by some as an example of a wrongful conviction, generating international support for him. Multiple attempts to have the case overturned have failed.
But last year, a new attorney took on the case. Justin Bonus says he and investigators have uncovered new evidence that shows witnesses, including the twin victims Karen Sanders and Sharon Chism and their cousin Keith Laborde, lied about what happened.