just when ryan seemed to be almost out of options altogether, an aorney named kathleen zellner agreedt the case. she met wi ryan. d decided to take it on. pro bono. >> nothing ias riveting at thiswhen the trial's bee lost, everything's bn lost and you' got somebody that's innocent. like the ultimate challenge, i think. reporter: what made you think this person defitely is nocent? >> it was reallyyan. itas really my interaction with him. >> reporr: zeller in has won the release of 15 men wronully convicted of murder anrape, buthis? she had never seen anything like it. because in this strange case, she thought, thereere two innocent menryan and chuck, his accuser, a confused young man but not a killer. what was put on at thitrial was a completely fabricated case, and the reason it worked was becausthe jury could not understa why someone would confess to a crime they didn't mmit and then take a 25-year sentence. >> rorter: and the verdict rendered by jury of one's peers carries tremendous weight. its almost sacred in t legal system. to overtn ryan's conviction, zellner woulhave to find n

. >> reporter: ferguson also thanked his attorney contact lenzele kathleen zellner who worked probono for his release. >> he wants to write a book and work on helping others. he wants to help erickson who convicted him. >> he was used and map in lated. i kind of feel sorry for the guy. i know he feels victimized. >> as for the immediate future, ferguson wants some ice cream. >>> that's a good start. oochz >>> coming up on the "morning news," record-setting art, a three-panel painting by francis bacon blows away a previous auction record. this is the "cbs morning news." francis bake con blows away a previous auction record. this is the "cbs morning news." [ female announcer ] tonight, we're all cooking. because campbell's skillet sauces make it easy. just brown some meat and add the campbell's skillet sauce. for a meal so awesome, you'll want to share it. everyone is cooking with campbell's skillet sauces. and now try new campbell's slow cooker sauces. everyone is cooking with campbell's skillet sauces. and these little angels build in strength. and that little angel says, "weeeeeeeee!

still, despite the lack of evidence, ferguson's attorney kathleen zellner says he was running out ofpeals. >> we were at the last stage, the very last stage, and if you can not get the conviction vacated at that stage you're at the end of the road. >> reporter: last week, a missouri appellate court found that prosecutors had concealed evidence from ferguson's defense, denying him a fair trial. his conviction was thrown out and late yesterday the missouri attorney general announced he would not retry him. >> it's better than i would think winning the super bowl. you know, we saved a life. >> reporter: the attorney general actually stated that he would not retry ferguson at this time which leaves open the possibility that he could bring charges later but the evidence that exists today points to individuals other than ferguson. >> pelley: erin, you became interested in this eight years ago, why did you -- what -- why did this catch your attention? >> we had seen the police video of the main accuser and at that time this young man, charles erikson, seemed to new few details if any at the

. >> alongside ferguson was his attorney kathleen zellner who took his case probono after seeing his case on "489 ho hour" >> he was so worth the effort, what he did and his parents did. he was an amazinamazing, amazin person. >> he didn't get a fair trial. ryan ferguson is now looking forward to the little things. >> i'm kind of looking forward to dairy queen. >> making up for lost time with his big sister and the rest of his family and catching up with good friends. >> and, of course, my beautiful girlfriend. >> it wthe tate announced yeste it would not retry him at this time. what it means is the state could bring charges at a new time if evidence resurfaces but there's far more evidence pointing to other suspects than ryan ferguson. >> ryan ferguson and his father will with us now from columbia, missouri, for the first time since being released. good morning. >> good morning. >> i can imagine you might have never seen this day or believed you would. now that you've arrived, tell us your emotions. >> i don't think my emotions have caught up yet. it's early in this morning. i haven

. >> alongside ferguson was his attorney kathleen zellner who took his case probono after seeing his case on "489 hour hours." >> he was so worth the effort, what he did and his parents did. he was an amazeingamazing, amazing person. >> he didn't get a fair trial. ryan ferguson is now looking forward to the little things. >> i'm kind of looking forward to dairy queen. >> making up for lost time with his big sister and the rest of his family and catching up with good friends. >> and, of course my beautiful girlfriend. >> it wasthe tate announced yesterday it would not retry him at this time. what it means is the state could bring charges at a new time if evidence resurfaces but there's far more evidence pointing to other suspects than ryan ferguson. >> ryan ferguson and his father will with us now from columbia missouri for the first time since being released. good morning. >> good morning. >> i can imagine you might have never seen this day or believed you would. now that you've arrived, tell us your emotions. >> i don't think my emotions have caught up yet. it's early in this mornin

fortunately we had the marines in the form of kathleen zellner. that made all the difference in the world. kathleen saved the day for our family. >> absolutely. >> ryan what about your parents, i mean you gave a shout out to your parents who have stood by you this entire time nearly a decade. >> no doubt. it begins and ends with my parents. they've been there since day one. they believed in me taken the time to look at all the facts. they have been fighting non stop. that includes my sister as well. my whole family they have been incredible. without them i know that it would have been very difficult for me to have hope and have faith in the process. to be there when kathleen came along to be able to help us. >> how do you restrain what must be a sense of deep sense of rage even the hostileity you might or should feel to mr. eriksson who helped put you there. >> you know mr. eriksson was used. i think it's easy to see that by looking at the facts. you know there needs to be accountability for the the way he was used. there's multiple cases where ot