this is "nightline." >> tonight, four teenagers' lives forever changed in an instant. a costly mistake with shocking>> he's got a dead body. >> they were sentenced to decades behind bars even though none of them pulled the n't kill anyone. >> the controversial conviction setting off a national firestorm. >> i think it's overkill. >> their mothers now on a mission to free their sons. we take you inside thethe young men dreaming of a second chance.

lives change yet again. kanye west's tantrum at "saturday night live" leaked online tonight. it comes after the man behind "gold digger" claimed he was millions in debt andfight with taylor swift. so just venting or this is a sign that his good life is spotlight? but first the "nightline 5." with the power and performance of our intuitive all-wheel drive. now get a $189 per month lease on the >> number one in just 60

for $399 a month

good evening. tonight the story of five young men who did an admittedly stupid thing. they broke into what they thought was an empty home and one of then critics say what happened next was injustice. the boys were charged and convicted of felony murder even though none of them pulled the trigger. my "nightline" coanchoreen following this case for years and tonight she's right there for major new developments. >> oh my gosh.n't want him sitting there another minute. >> reporter: for april erdos, the drive to wabash prison is one she knows farhree years, three months, some-odd days. >> reporter: the many long days this mother's been fighting for

>> you can't explain what it feels like. it comes down to the love you have for your child. that's what makes it hurt so evi was sentenced to 50 years in prison for felony murder, even though he didn't pull the trigger. he didn't even have a gun. >> i just want to see hisat's going to be a kodak moment right there. >> reporter: more than 250 miles away in elkhart, indiana, levi's life was foreverfall day in 2012. he was hanging out with four of his friends. among them 21-year-old denzel johnson and 16-year-old blake ot off school that day. we ended up talking. coming up with dumb-ass plans. excuse my la plan was to rob an empty house. >> why an empty house? >> it was just a plan to get quick money, it was never a practicen to hurt anyoneanyone. >> were any of your armed? >> no. >> reporter: they settled on

>> you're convinced nobody's inside? >> we had knocked beforehand. i mean, -- not just rung the doorbell, knocked. >> reporter: while the four teens entered the house they thought was empty the porch at a lookout. >> you didn't say, hey, fellows, this is a bad idea? >> i could have. but no, i boom and my whole house shook. >> reporter: the testimony of rodney scott, homeowner. he was home. upstairs taking a nap. >> fear coming over yt know if you're going to get hurt or if you're going to get killed. that's when i decided i was going to fire my gun and try to trap them. >> i heard a bang. and then i and then i heard a couple more bangs afterward. turn around and run away from the gun. felt something warm. came up with a handful of that's when you realized you were shot? >> that's when is. ed i was shot. that's the hole.

his friend denzel was slumped next to him, shot in the chest, bleeding heavily. >> he died in your arms? >> he died in right in between me and jose. i remember screaming "i'm sorry" over and over again. >> to whom were you sorry? >> the homeowner, i was sorry period.you know. it was a bad situation. i was sorry for it all. >> reporter: his friends called him for help. >> i stepped inside the door, looked over, the guy was at me. i threw my hands open, he told me to get out of his house, i said i'm sorry and took off. >> reporter: one week later -- >> they called me and said he'd r murder. >> reporter: that's right. murder. felony murder. because when someone's killed during certain crimes, in this case burglary, everyonet crime can be held responsible. even though none of them pulled the trigger or even had a gun. even levi.

i didn't put my mind around what i was really about to go through. >> the point of the felony y to say, you bring a gun to a robbery? and someone ends up getting killed? then you're going to be held responsible for that person's death. what makes this caseis that none of them had weapons. none of them were violent. and anyone of them killed anyone. >> reporter: in this case the homeowner, rodney who pulled the trigger, was never charged with wrongdoing. scott was so haunted by what happened there he never lived in the house again., 16-year-old jose cueros, took a plea bargain. the other three teenagers, with no history of violent crime,trial, placing their fate in the hands of a jury. >> what is your thought on how fair or not this charge is? >> to me, we all should behat we done that day, but nobody committed murder, why should we be charged

>> serious things did he's gone. i'm not saying i don't deserve time. >> reporter: the trial lasted four days. the guilty of an adult crime. >> the decision was real hard for me. i'm still torn over it. i have a hard time talking about it, really.old levi was sentenced to 50 years in prison. 16-year-old blake and 18-year-old anthony. >> i think it's insane. i think it's overkill. and i think it's unjust. and needs to beeporter: their controversial sentences drew national attention from nancy grace -- >> you've got a dead body. >> reporter: tohese boys thugs? >> no, not at all. >> reporter: their mothers mobilized, filing appeals to overturn what they believe to be unjust and cruel sentences. >> we wantd out. we want people not to forget about these boys that are locked up and need our support.

their appeals, that felonyharge. >> i think the argument of just a layperson is, those boys shouldn't have been committing burglary in the first place. >> right. >> yeah. >> we don't disagree with f contention is how much punishment they should receive and what they should be punished for. >> reporter: the outraged moms insisting they'd take the caset. >> these kids aren't murderers and they don't deserve 50, 55 years for something they didn't do. >> reporter: when we first visited the prison in 2014,19. living on the adult side. separated from blake, who's still a juvenile. >> show me your ink. >> reporter: he is time in prison literally etched on his skin.e illicitly got behind bars. >> the hourglass is broken. to show that it's wasted time. >> that's your sentence, 50>> yes. being behind bars ain't nothing like being on the outs. this is constantly what we see ev depressing. >> horrible.

dangerous. >> fight? >> reporter: while we're there an alarm. there's an incident.assemble. >> i hate hearing that. somebody's hurt. when you hear that tone ring outchills. it could be you any day. >> reporter: we find blake on the juvenile suft prison. >> this is your world, >> yeah. >> reporter: blake is about to turn 18 and will soon join levi on the adult side. >> i want to make a cake.an this out and just take honey buns and stuff like that, make a layered cake.h teenagers still hold out hope they'll be free soon enough to make studying for their ged pay off. >> i'm trying as bestdon't want to be the same person when i get out. i want to be a different person. all this stuff that i was doing

not doing good in my family, i don't want to go back to that same stuff. >> reporter: for blake and levi, time stands still. while their mothers fight fueled by the possibility of freedom. >> oh, my heart's a-pounding. >> reporter: a breakthrough when we come back. what knee pain? what sore elbow? what joint pain? o fast, they make pain a distant memory nothing works faster stronger or longer than advil liqui-gels ice what pain?

it's just the two of you. the setting is just right. there's something in the air. but here's the thing: about half of mene degree of erectile dysfunction. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex.do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain or adempas for pulmonary hypertension your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level. injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you udden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. ask your doctor... ...about viagra. available in single packs. more "sit" per roll. bounty is two times more absorbent. so one roll of bounty can last longer than those bargain brands. so you get more "life" per roll. asting quicker

if you have allergy congestion ...to get relief, introducing rhinocort allergy spray from the makers of zyrtec . powerful relief from nasal allergy symptoms, all day and all night.

19-year-old blake layman and 20-year-old levi sparks last three years of

and they could be behind bars for 47 more, convicted of felony murder in the death friend denzel johnson, though neither of them pulled the trigger. >> what do you miss while you're behind bars? >> family. that's basically all it is, just reporter: on the outside, their families haven't stopped fighting for their freedom. >> right now it's like keep the prayers going and just keep supporting these hopefully the supreme court will see it different. >> blake layman, levi sparks, anthony sharp convicted of the crime of felony murder. >> yes. >> no other counts on which there was convictions? >> corr >> my understanding is that they would be returned back to juvenile court, some of them would, to stand for a waiver hearing on just ther: finally after years of appeals their fight paying off. >> this morning the indiana supreme court overturned murderee of the

>> reporter: the indiana supreme court overturns their controversial felony murder convictions. >> basically ruled that no way these young men could have foreseen that there would be a death, and consequently that the shouldn't apply here. >> reporter: the young men now have hope for a chance at a real future. but they must wait to hear what their new sentencesu feel about today? >> nervous. real nervous. excited. >> reporter: and on this cold january morning, the mothers of three of the are anxiously awaiting news of their son's fate. >> what i'm hoping happens that they just time served and they can come home. >> reporrries a sentence from six to 20 years. so they may still have a lot more prison time ahead. >> everyone back. >> reporter: hours later the

layman and sharp areen years in prison. levi to nine. a fraction of the 50 years they've been facing. and with time already served and time cuts for good behavior and completing his getting out in a few weeks. >> we got justice today and that's what we wanted. that's where we've been. >> i'm very glad it's over. >> reporter: april erdos' to wabash prison is here at last. >> he's going to have all kind of emotions when he gets out. >> i was extremely nervous. like my palms got in there shaking. as soon as he said nine years i was like, whoo! i knew i was going to be -- i think i'm going to be speechless. i'm just going to hug him. give him hugs like he's never had one before.

oh, i see him.e, levi! thank godeah, it's all over with. i love you. >> love you. >> reporter: a mother's heartache finally over. >> how's it feel? >> a car. >> reporter: these are hisreedom. >> good. >> i can't imagine what you'reod. that place was hell. >> reporter: a family road trip back to elkhart filled with phone calls from loved ones. >> what is this? >> reporter: a new play list.

>> look at first post on facebook. >> what are you doing? >> posting on facebook. we have levi, on our way home. all right? >> reporter: but levi's release is leaving behind his best friend. >> blake gave you a hug good-bye this. >> uh-huh. he has about two months left. >>thought. >> yeah. >> reporter: by the time they alive in elkhart it's dusk. more family and friends are waiting to share a dinner of his own choosi told everyone, once i get out i'm jumping into subway. we're going to get a sweet onion chicken teriyaki with bacon, ans, pepper, jalapeno sauce. >> reporter: a subway sandwich he's been dreaming about for years.

it's great. just thankful. that's what it comes down, to got a second chance. >> haven't really had a chance to soak it all in yet.be good. >> reporter: for levi his years served in prison perhaps not time lost but through nd wisdom gained, a life redirected. >> with this blessing, you know, i'm not going to start going out again, you know. i'm a grown man now, i need to start doing what grown men do. that's get their life on track and live life in a pos's what i plan on doing. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm juju chang in carlisle, indiana. >> and we want to thank for that remarkable report, as well as call mary that story. last week the last of the jose cueros, also

modified to burglary. he's expected to be released this fall. the leaked audiotapee west reportedly freaking out backstage at "saturday night live" before performing "highlight." why he allegedly lost it. the bold nissan rogue, with intuitive all-wheel drive. because winter needs a hero.89 per month lease on the 2016 nissan rogue. nissan. innovation that excites. have pain medicine because why would you take a pain medicine

zzzquil: a nat's not for pain,

e has to be a way. carry the centimeter, divide by 3.14 something something something... [ beeping, whirring ] and now the name your price tool shows people policy options to help fit their budget. yeah! people really do save an average of over $500 when they switch. i mean about you inventing it. , and isn't that what really matters?

t development in a loud and busy week for kanye west. this fresh twist comes in the form of a leaked audiotape.

off of "snl" -- >> the rant heard round the world. >> don't [ bleep ] with me. >> the audio clip allegedly of kanye west backstage at thet live" studios released exclusively by the "new york post's" page 6. west appeared to perform "high lights" live for the first time.making the highlights >> a source close to west todd abc news he got angry when producers removed part o designed set shortly before he was supposed to take the stage and that this outburst was from a private venting session. during his tirade he claims to be 50% moren several historical figures. >> bro, by 50%, stanley kubrick, picasso, [ bleep ] and escobar. 50% more influential than any bing. >> reporter: he takes aim at taylor swift.

>> reporter: this is not kanye's first outburst, this isn't his first outbrs about taylor swift.ter: the bad blood between the two dates back to 2009 at the vmas when kanye famously interrupted swift as she was accepting her best female award -- >> i'm going to let you finish but beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. >> reporter: last week he released "famous" whichrogatory lines about swift. i feel like me and taylor might still have sex >> reporter: swift, who sang ods" and stayed out of the drama at this year's grammys said this after winning album of the year. >> there are going to be people along the way who will try to our success, or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. you'll look around and you will know that it was you and who love you who put you there.

>> reporter: sometimes it all falls down. rut in the immortal named kanye west that that don't kill me can only make me stronger. the always interesting kanye k you for watching tonight. tune into gma first thing in the morning and as always we're online 24/7 on our "nightline" facebook page and ks again for watching and

>> comics unleashed with your host byron allen.ght, and jackie.