shawn thomas can't stop smiling. not only a free man, a super man according to the shirt worn for him by his nephew. >> you know, we just take stuff for granted >> thomas entered prison 24 years ago, serving at the state correctional facility where he was released late tuesday afternoon. >> how did you find a way to grow into man >> i studied, worked, kept my mind busy as far as my faith-wise. which is muslim. >> he wrote to those he felt could help him prove his innocence in the 1990 murder of a north philadelphia businessman, he was wrongly accused of. it took place while he and his mother were in court for an unrelated offense. >> i reached out >> when i saw shawn, i knew right away that it had merit because it just made sense. >> reporter: what he said made sense was the alibi and what didn't was that the log of that day was never presented in court >> they had to have some kind of record shawn was there. >> eventually the district attorney's review board elected to vacate the conviction >> it's a rare gift as a l

shawn thomas can't stop smiling. not only a free man, a super man according to the shirt worn for him by his nephew. >> you know, we just take stuff for granted >> thomas entered prison 24 years ago, serving at the state correctional facility where he was released late tuesday afternoon. >> how did you find a way to grow into man >> i studied, worked, kept my mind busy as far as my faith-wise. which is muslim. >> he wrote to those he felt could help him prove his innocence in the 1990 murder of a north philadelphia businessman, he was wrongly accused of. it took place while he and his mother were in court for an unrelated offense. >> i reached out >> when i saw shawn, i knew right away that it had merit because it just made sense. >> reporter: what he said made sense was the alibi and what didn't was that the log of that day was never presented in court >> they had to have some kind of record shawn was there. >> eventually the district attorney's review board elected to vacate the conviction >> it's a rare gift as a l

nbc 10 was there as shawn thomas celebrated with his family outside prison. that's where he spent the last 24 years of his life. for a crime he did not commit. now, he's ready to celebrate his new life. good evening. >> thomas was barely 20 years old when he was put behind bars. tonight, we followed his first night of freedom. >> laughter. and a hug from mom. in the open air of freedom. shawn thomas left confinement behind in rural frackville tonight after more than two decades serving time for a crime he insisted from the outset he did not commit. >> it's been a struggle, hard struggle. just can't give up. >> reporter: a struggle endured from the pennsylvania innocence program convincing a young to vacate the conviction in a 1999 killing in north philly. then a teenaged thomas claimed he was four miles away held at the old youth study site in trouble but only for trying to steal a motorcycle. not a murder. his attorney said that key discrepancy stood out. >> first thing caught my eye is shawn said seemed to be basically true. >> reporter: after years without

. >>> taking a live look at the pennsylvania prison where shawn thomas is now a free man. see that smile on his face after spending more than two decades behind bars. we're going to talk to him and have more on his story tonight at 11:00. >>> i'm john clark. we're going to hear from carson wentz and the new weapon. it's the first day for the new team. a lot of new players to mix tokt at practice. phillies are benching three hitters. that's next as well. ♪ having a baby. caring for your parents. learning you have a condition. these are moments when people realize that where you get your medicine matters. and they look to us. cvs pharmacy. for advice. and ways to save money. plus, get up to fifty extrabucks each year just for filling prescriptions. switching is easy. we're here for you. join us. at cvs pharmacy. ♪ >>> i'm john clark from csn. the eagles started their organized team activities today. today the first real practice with the entire team. three eagles were not there. that's four now. a lot of new faces. doug peterson notices a big thing with carson wentz. >> the

. >> shawn thomas was met outside state correctional institution in factville, schuylkill county yesterday. earlier in the day the philadelphia district attorney 's office vacated his conviction and life sentence. thomas told "eyewitness news" he is now focusing on family. >> rebuild my relationship with my daughters, my mom, my nephews, you know, stuff like that, stuffy didn't do before, i do now, being that i was a teenager when i got locked up and i'm a grown man now. >> in 1994 thomas was sentenced to mandatory life without parole for 1990 murder for a man in north philadelphia lawyers with the pennsylvania innocence project helped free thomas, using evidence that prosecutors have in the seen before next month the district attorney's office will hold a hearing to decide if it will retry thomas for that case. >>> up next we will look at who will be performing at parkway. >>> and fcc made a decision, find out if late show hoe stephen colbert will face a fine about a joke he made about the president. >> ♪ >> katie fehlinger is very excited. >> yes. >> tom cruise. tom cruise getting back i

. >> shawn thomas is getting to know philadelphia again after 24 years. a a city that's changed a lot. a city he was forced to leave behind decades earlier. >> you definitely appreciate more about life once it's taken from you. you appreciate it a lot more. >> in 1990 he was a teen when he was convicted of murdering a businessman in north philly. a murder hen didn't commit. what kept him going? >> family, prayer, hope. >> and after 24 years the judge overturned the conviction. new evidence confirmed his alibi. >> i knew in my heart it was coming. i just didn't know when. >> reporter: so now for the tirs time in more than two decades. he has the freedom to choose what he wants to do. >> smell the trees and see the sun. >> reporter: who he eats and who he spends time with. this morning he was with us in the nbc 10 stuz owes. but he's really looking forward to time with family, get iting reacquainted with the loves ones who always stuck by him. >> i'm enjoying the moment for now. >> we asked him what's next for him. he said at this point he's enjoying the mo

. >> shawn thomas met his family outside of the state correctional institution, in factville schuylkillounty yesterday afternoon. earlier in the day philadelphia district attorney 's office vacated his conviction and life sentence. thomas told "eyewitness news" he is now looking forward to the future. >> rebuild my relationship with my daughters, my mom, my nephews, you know, stuff like that, stuffy didn't do before, i will do now being that i was a teenager when i got locked up and now i'm a grown man. >> in 1994 thomas was sentenced to mandatory life without parole for 1990's murder of a man in north philadelphia lawyers with the pennsylvania innocence project , hell under free thomas using evidence that prosecutors hadn't seen before the next month district attorney's office will hold a hearing to decide if they will retry thomas for that case. >>> delaware county priest and teacher could be on the road to sainthood. >> group at a high school is taking a first step, meeting last night at monsignor bonner archbishop prendergast high school in drexel hill discussed sainthood for father