Ronald Ross was freed from custody on February 21, 2013, after his attempted murder conviction was overturned. (CBS)Ronald Ross was freed from custody on February 21, 2013, after his attempted murder conviction was overturned. (CBS)
OAKLAND (KCBS) — A man who was wrongly convicted of a 2006 shooting in Oakland and spent seven years behind bars until his release last week says he holds no bitterness and wants to work with troubled youth.
Ronald Ross spent seven years at San Quentin State Prison and Santa Rita Jail, but was freed thanks to lawyers with the Northern California Innocence Project.
He said he always knew he was innocent, but battled the fear that he’d be behind bars much of his life.
“Man, it’s a wonderful thing,” Ross said.
He thanked his team from the Innocence Project, which took on his case pro bono within a year after his conviction.
“I almost gave up till the team came. God bless the dream team,” he said.
Ross was misidentified as the suspect in witness photos after an Oakland shooting. Despite information that another man was responsible, investigators never showed the victim that man’s photo.
Prior to Ross’ release, even the Alameda County District Attorney’s office agreed that an injustice had been done.
He’s not bitter though. He said he stayed positive in prison and that, before his conviction, he did drugs and drank, but not anymore.
“I see a lot of people that I had seen before I got locked up still doing the same activity. I said to myself, ‘I can’t go back to that way no more.’”
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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