After nearly 29 years behind bars for crimes he didn’t commit, Robert Johnson walked free on Thursday, feeling “amazing” and excited for a home-cooked meal.
Johnson was only 16 years old in 1996 when police took him from his grandmother’s house without her permission. He never admitted to any crime, but police forced two teenage boys to falsely accuse him. As a result, he was convicted of murder, home invasion, and armed robbery in the killing of Eddie “Jay” Binion on April 14, 1996. He was sentenced to 80 years in prison.
New evidence proved his innocence. The two boys who had blamed him later took back their statements, and another man, before his death in 2018, admitted to committing the crime.
“I never thought this day would come,” Johnson, now 45, said outside Cook County Jail after a judge overturned his conviction.
“They locked me in a cage for 28 years and 10 months for something I didn’t do,” he said. “I’m just thankful we finally got a fair judge who put an end to this nightmare.”
Wrongful Arrest and Years of Struggle
The day after Binion was killed, police arrested one of Johnson’s friends, who then pointed to two other people. One of them, under police pressure, falsely accused Johnson.
Two days later, police showed up at Johnson’s grandmother’s house to arrest him. His grandmother, Mary Robinson, refused to let them in at first. But when she went to the bathroom, officers took Johnson away.
“They took him and never brought him back,” Robinson, now 92, recalled. “But I never lost hope, and I kept praying.”
Robinson was overjoyed to finally hug her grandson again.
“I’ll be 93 in March. God has been good—He brought him home,” she said.
Staying Strong in Prison
While in prison, Johnson went through many emotional ups and downs but found strength in his family’s support. He and his grandmother stayed in touch throughout the years.
“She always told me, ‘Robert, I hope I’m still here when you get out,’” he said. “And now, she is.”
During his time at Menard Correctional Center, Johnson earned his GED and completed 46 college credits.
Now free, he hopes to raise awareness for others wrongfully convicted.
“There are so many innocent people in prison,” he said. “People see it on the news but don’t realize it’s real.”
For now, though, he just wants to enjoy time with his family and eat his grandmother’s homemade corn cakes.
“The food in prison is terrible,” he joked. “I really missed my grandma’s cooking.”
