25 years in prison for the crime they didn't commit. and then you have the prosecutors office saying, yeah, right. we still think they're guilty. >> in 2016, michigan lawmakers passed the wrongful imprisonment act compensation act, calling for the state to pay exonerated prisoners $50,000 for every year spent behind bars. the highers brother sue the seat state for just over one 1.2 million each. and in october, 2019, the michigan attorney generals office settle the suit. agreeing to pay the full amount. of course, in the days immediately following the release, nothing could compare to the chance to celebrate with the people who helped make it happen. like mary, whose facebook post started everything. >> did you ever imagine you would actually cause such a thing? >> no. not in 1 million years. it's hard to get my head around