KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The lengthy legal battle of a woman who spent 43 years in prison for a murder she did not commit has finally concluded, following a judge’s recent ruling that determines she will not face retrial. Sandra Hemme, previously known as the longest-incarcerated woman in the U.S. for a wrongful conviction, can now enjoy her newfound freedom without the threat of reimprisonment, according to members of her legal team from the Innocence Project.

Hemme was released from prison in July, but her release was mired in uncertainty as Attorney General Andrew Bailey contended that she should remain imprisoned. However, an appellate court recently dismissed many of Bailey’s claims as “bordering on the absurd” and upheld the decision of a lower court that had vacated Hemme’s murder conviction. This ruling set a 10-day deadline for prosecutors to file new charges against her. When that deadline passed without action, Hemme’s attorneys requested her unconditional release and were later met with a favorable ruling.

During her initial interrogation regarding the 1980 murder of Patricia Jeschke, a 31-year-old library employee in St. Joseph, Hemme was given substantial doses of antipsychotic medication. One of her lawyers, Sean O’Brien, described these medications as akin to a “chemical straightjacket” in a recent hearing, suggesting they cast doubt on the validity of her confession.

O’Brien also brought to light evidence that had been kept from the defense, notably implicating Michael Holman, a former police officer who had passed away in 2015. This evidence included sightings of Holman’s pickup truck near Jeschke’s residence, attempts to utilize her credit card, and the discovery of her earrings at his house.

Citing these details, Judge Ryan Horsman from Livingston County acknowledged that Hemme’s legal team had provided “clear and convincing evidence” demonstrating her actual innocence. However, Attorney General Bailey’s office sought a review of Horsman’s verdict, intensifying the dispute over whether Hemme could be released pending this examination. Multiple judicial bodies, including a circuit judge, an appellate court, and the Missouri Supreme Court, eventually concurred that Hemme should be freed. Nonetheless, she remained incarcerated due to Bailey’s claims that she had unresolved sentences from old assault cases.

Hemme finally regained her freedom only after Judge Horsman threatened to hold the attorney general’s office in contempt for their refusal to release her. Following the judge’s decisive ruling on Tuesday, Hemme has been granted “permanent and unconditional discharge from custody,” bringing her long journey toward freedom to a definitive close.