Woman who spent 23 years in prison for murder on her life today outside a cell

this is a moment Tyra Patterson has dreamed of finally embracing these teens who she says helped save her life and campaign for her Freedom hi Tyler wasn't much older than them when she was imprisoned for murder you remember me huh yes even though she didn't pull the trigger didn't even have a gun her confession coerced she says raising questions about the issue of mass incarceration leading to a campaign to set her free celebrities even joining the cause and I am Tyra Patterson then a stunning turn the victim's sister coming to Tyra's defense do you think Tara Patterson is in any way responsible for your sister's death no I don't not one bit for Tyron the nightmare began 23 years ago when she and her friend Becky are hanging out smoking pot in 19 year old Tyra's apartment in Dayton Ohio they head out to look for a set of missing car keys and meet up with a few acquaintances and wind up in an Alleyway sitting in a car 18 year old Holly lay her 15-year-old sister Michelle and three other friends I had a really bad feeling and not in my stomach that told me something was going to happen they were approached by a Rowdy group among them Tyra and 22 year old LaShawn akini who has a gun Holly lay caught out for me like she reached her head out the window and was like please make them stop please tell them we don't have anything what did you say to them I walked up one the sonakini when I was like hey why don't you chill out and that's when she brandished a gun Tyra heads back home but back at the car the situation is escalating there was a girl at my sister's door trying to get a necklace off my sister and couldn't do it that's when she took the gun across me and I turned and she shot her right in front of me and we heard a gunshot Becca and I ran the rest of the way home because we actually thought they were shooting at us Holly's sister Michelle shot dead right in front of her eyes I remember falling to the ground and going why please somebody help us and I start running door to door-to-door just pounding on doors someone called 9-1-1 we got doors shut in our face nobody would listen but she doesn't know at the time is that Tyra did call 9-1-1 is very scared I said what is your name I lied and said my name is Tiara why'd you do that because I knew that somebody had got hurt and I didn't want to be a part of it the next day Tyra is brought in for questioning in the office investigations office sitting with Tara Tyler Sean Patterson chill as you would the events that took place this morning she tells the detective that she stole a necklace off the victim I've seen the girl on the back I took the necklace Ira says under pressure of the interrogation she falsely confessed what are you thinking at that moment because you look like a deer in the headlights I thought he was about to save my life and when we were done I said I might come am I about to go home and he said no you're being booked for murder she's among five people arrested four would be charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated murder because when someone's killed during the commission of certain crimes in this case robbery those committing the crime can be held responsible so you're being charged with murder and robbery and sent to jail what were those hours like Tyra they were wrong scary when Tyra goes on trial the next year she says her lawyers advise her against testifying but that confession tape is played Montgomery County prosecutor Leon de Don says the tape was key in proving Tyra's guilt it's powerful piece of evidence that shows not only is she guilty in this but also it's not a core statement the tone is calm they're sitting next to each other they're talking he makes it clear that Tyra Patterson is no victim in this case the victims in those case were those five girls in the car with another Gang of Five people including Tyra Patterson attacked them at 20 years old Tyra found guilty sentenced to 43 years to life in prison as for keaney the trigger woman she would take a plea deal 30 Years to Life I looked at the dream and said I didn't do anything from the moment she went behind bars Tyra vowed to fight her a conviction a middle school dropout she uses the confinement to improve herself learning to read earning her GED even becoming a paralegal the only way I could fight was to educate myself and remarkably she becomes a mentor reaching out to tell her story to high school students and then after 17 years in prison she meets David Singleton of the Ohio Justice and policy Center we've got transcripts Tyra tells David she made a false confession that necklace she was convicted of stealing she picked it up off the ground I couldn't believe the level of representation that she got was so bad in an affidavit Tyrus public defender says he was disappointed when she was convicted and that at the time we did not have the means resources or expertise to help the jury understand that Tyra's confession was false what was the biggest Omission as far as you're concerned the 9-1-1 call should have been put before the jury period incredibly that 9 9-1-1 call placed by Tyra was never played in court Patterson's trial lawyers say they didn't introduce the call because they felt it was incriminating that she gave a false name but it's evidence some jurors say that would have swayed their votes Looking Back Now I know she is not guilty I'm just so sorry that it happened to her no not guilty not guilty it bothers me some now it sure does to take take that away from an individual that much of their life over half of her life David creates a social media movement with politicians and celebrities joining the effort to free a woman they feel was wrongfully convicted and I am Tyra Patterson then Holly lay who saw her sister shot right beside her hears of those Revelations and writes a letter to Governor Kasich I feel bad that Tyra has been in prison for so long for crimes I now believe she did not commit but it came at a price I no longer speak with any family member on my dad's side or my mother's side they all disowned me no matter what they said I was not going to let her sit in that prison Holly sacrifice likely the game changer yeah after 23 years Tyra Patterson was finally granted parole I felt Vindicated now at 42 years old she's starting over trying to regain those Lost Years with family did you think this moment was going to happen I would lie to her and say I had faith but it was diminishing welcome she's now working as a paralegal for the same organization that helped get her out of prison and has her own apartment in Cincinnati is it jarring having been in a Cell for so long and now you've got this kind of space being in a 10 by 12 I think it is so for 23 years with my life with a roommate the best advice that I can give you all is to stay in school China continues to use her story as a cautionary tale for others surround yourself with people who will challenge you sharing her message at schools and colleges Across the Nation no drugs and alcohol I'm a living proof that it does not work my main message is to tell them to stay in school graduate and reach your goals and she's even stayed in touch with that group of high school students who she says gave her hope during the dark days of prison y'all got me crying when you started to Skype with her when you actually saw her this is a woman who's in it listen was that weird it wasn't weird but it was just amazing to see how she could contain and still have happiness in her life what have you wanted to say to her I just want to say thank you for everything thank you to her even who helped her yes yes I think she helped us more she's been out of prison now a couple of months yes thought is probably about time that you meet Tyra okay oh my God I'm so happy right now hi girls [Music] oh my goodness [Music] so you call these folks your kids huh yeah they're my babies thank you thank you thank you do y'all remember everything that we talked about yes stay in school and don't do what [Laughter] [Music] I believe in my heart that if it wasn't for Holly Lake and my babies that our voices would have been a little dumb [Music] so thank you soon more students anxious to meet the woman they worked so diligently to help free emotions spilling out on both sides you remember me huh yes I'm so happy then a special chant [Applause] [Music] what's next a pardon God willing apartment failure is not an option for me it has never been an option ever since I became conscious woke for Nightline I'm Deborah Roberts in Cincinnati thank you hi everyone George Stephanopoulos here thanks for checking out the ABC News YouTube channel if you'd like to get more videos show highlights and watch live event coverage click on the right over here to subscribe to our Channel and don't forget to download the ABC News app for breaking news alerts thanks for watching

Channel: ABC News

Views: 5,938,695

Keywords: Ohio, Tyra, Patterson, imprisoned, for, murder, Michelle, Lai, campaign, to, set, her, free, sharing, story, at, schools, across, the, country, us, abc, abcnews

Id: IghvPJ6xJZg

Length: 10min 45sec (645 seconds)

Published: Tue May 08 2018