Malcolm Scott shares his story on Wrongful Conviction Day, 10 years after being exonerated

TULSA Okla. (KFOR)- October 2nd is wrongful conviction day and it also marks the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma Innocence Project.

For Malcolm Scott this year marks 10 years since he was exonerated after spending 22 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. He was the first person in this state exonerated with help of the Oklahoma Innocence Project.

Scott is now a husband, father, student and motivational speaker.

“I learned that my purpose wasn’t to sit inside a cell. My purpose was to come out of that cell with a message” said Scott.

A lie is what put Scott in prison at Just 18-years-old. Sentenced to life plus 170 days for the 1994 murder of 19-year-old Karen Summers in Tulsa.

Scott and his co-defendant, De’Marchoe Carpenter, always maintained their innocence.

“It just seems so obviously fabricated, you know, you could tell like it was something that was rehearsed in the way that they were speaking. It was just like, wow, this is already set for us. You know? That’s where my mind started to go.” Scott said.

The conviction came from false eyewitness testimony. The main witness, Michael Wilson was actually found in possession of the murder weapon according to Scott.

“They let him go because he told them he was just holding all that stuff for us, that we were the ones that really did it all. But we took everything to him after we were finished and I’m just like, oh my God, did you really believe that?” Scott said.

Just months later Wilson was arrested for another murder where he helped beat a night clerk to death at QuikTrip.

“All logic has seemed to leave, you know, nothing seemed logical anymore.” said Scott.

Scott spent his days working to prove his innocence, making the prison law library what he called his “second cell.”

Years later, private investigator Eric Cullen picked up the case after receiving letters from both Scott and Carpenter.

The Innocence Project later got involved and two witnesses were tracked down who say police swayed their testimony.

But one thing still stood in the way– Michael Wilson. He was moved to death row for his QuikTrip case, which was not good for Scott and Carpenter as he had the most damaging testimony.

“And I knew when Michael Wilson gets executed, I’m getting executed.” Scott said.

So, Scott decided to write Wilson a letter, and his attorneys read it to him before execution.

“I told him, I said, man. I understand that you’re going through something really serious, probably even more than me. But I’m still asking you, man. Please, don’t take me with you.” Said Scott.

The letter worked. Scott’s lawyer with the Innocence Project broke the news to him.

“She said Malcom, I don’t know if you got angels on your shoulder, I don’t know if you spoke directly to God. But Micheal Wilson’s attorneys have decided that they will interview with us. He is going to tell the truth.” Scott said.

Wilson ultimately confessed to pulling the trigger. Two years later, in May of 2016, was the ruling Scott and Carpenter waited more than two decades for. A judge said they’d been wrongfully convicted.

“The truth will outlast a lie every single time. And that truth is what set me free.” said Scott. “Now, from 2016, ten years strong. And I’ve been so blessed. So blessed.”