now, as nbc's charles hadlock reports, the state is trying to make up for their lost time. >> reporterthe last time jerry evans was in a courtroom was 23 years ago when a jury sentenced him to life in prison for sexual assault, but this summer dna evidence cleared him. >> had these test results been available at the time of the trial, you would not have been convicted in this case. >> reporter: evans walked out of prison a free man, cleared of any wrongdoing. >> i want to know howe in hell i did 23 years in prison since i'm back out here now. like i said, i never want to go again. >> reporter: his journey to free.com wak to everyday life has not been without challenge. he'd been locked up for more than 20 years but there's one place he can turn to. >> so if we have a big meeting today -- >> reporter: evans is now a member of the most exclusive club in texas, a group whose members spent years behind bars for crimes they didn't commit. men who have been exonerated d dna evidence. men like james giles. he gives every knew exoneree a $100 bill because the prison system gives them nothing.