ms. kelly and other witnesses who testified they saw a man with a blue steel revolver, 6 feet tall with close cut hair running past them. thompson was tall with a big afro. kevin freeman" went by the nickname kojak because of his close-cut hair. once all the evidence was examined it was clear beyond imagination that kevin freeman, acting alone, murdered ray liuzza. >> michael and gordon now believe they had a strong case for a new trial. >> we had an evidentiary hearing in front of judge quinlan. and quinlan vacated the death sentence but he refused to vacate guilt. >> judge quinlan refused to grant a new trial. we were devastated. yes, it was wonderful to have john thompson spared from execution, but we were still looking at a man in his 30s who was going to be facing the rest of his life in jail. >> so you're going to take the death penalty back and give me a life sentence? i was scared to death even more so now. you tell me i'm never going home again? that didn't give me no relief, none whatsoever. i was doomed. >> michael and gordon appealed the judge's decision, they knew this would be thompson's last chance for a new trial. >> john's going to go free or spend th