KANSAS CITY, Mo — Sandra Hemme walked out of the Chillicothe Correctional Center Friday evening a free woman.
The Missouri Department of Corrections confirmed with KSHB 41 Hemme was released at 5:50 p.m. It happened ten minutes before a judge's court order demanded her release or the judge would hold Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in contempt.
Hemme was serving a life sentence for the 1980 stabbing death of Patricia Jeschke, a library worker from St. Joseph, Missouri.
Bailey fought through the courts for a month to keep Hemme in prison after a judge overturned her conviction.
Hemme is the longest known wrongfully incarcerated woman in the United States.
Darryl Burton and Lamonte McIntyre served more than two decades each in prison before they were exonerated.
Hemme's lawyer serves on the board of the Miracle of Innocence Project, a non-profit the men founded after they were released from prisons.
"She's been gone 43 years," Burton said. "That's almost Lamonte and my time combined. We together did 47 years."
KSHB 41 has highlighted both of their cases.
Burton was exonerated in 2008. McIntyre was exonerated in 2017.
"My reaction is being free all over again," McIntyre said. "I know how she feels."
Hemme's story is the main reason why Burton and McIntyre continue to advocate for change.
"It goes to show how bad the system needs to be reformed," Burton said. "It is broken. It is broken…decades and decades. It shouldn't take that long to get an innocent person out because it's just like that to get an innocent person put in."
The Miracle of Innocence Project tried to go to the prison to see Hemme before Bailey fought her release.
It paints a picture of a system they believe needs to do better.
"She got close to the finish line and someone slammed the door on her," McIntyre said.
Life after release is an experience Burton and McIntyre are still living through.
They offered advice as Hemme transitions into her new season.
"On the inside of her she needs to be still," McIntyre said. "She's been in a bad place for a long time. The transition from that place to here is shocking. It's like going from war to peace. You're home, but gotta let the war wear off you."
The Miracle of Innocence Project was already planning a walk for freedom for Hemme next weekend. Now that she's out, the non-profit said they will walk and say "Sandra is free".
If you'd like to participate, there will be a one mile walk at 8 a.m., Saturday, July 27.
The walk begins at the group's Overland Park office at 6520 W. 110 St.
