The Associated Press carried the following story--
NEW YORK - A man who spent more than two decades in prison after being wrongfully convicted of a brutal rape was freed Thursday because DNA evidence has cleared him.
Relatives of Alan Newton, 44, whooped loudly as he entered the crowded courtroom. Newton stood quietly in a beige suit and bright blue shirt as Judge John Byrne signed the order declaring him free.
After his paperwork was processed, he stepped outside the courthouse, thanking his attorneys and offering his sympathy to the woman whose rape led to his wrongful conviction.
"My unjust conviction denied both of us justice," Newton said. "It opens up old wounds and denies her closure."
Wow. How does someone have that much grace and forgiveness in his heart? I searched this story across several news services and none of them mentioned whether faith played a role. Is it possible for someone to be full of grace and forgiveness without receiving grace and forgiveness from God?
1 comment:
Jackie:
Thanks for your comment.
I think some people can forgive others because they may have been well loved by parents or others and they have large hearts. Especially if the offense is relatively minor I think it's possible for many people to forgive others.
But I know my own heart and when it comes to offenses of great significance, I'm pretty sure that I'm not a big enough person to forgive, EXCEPT that I have been a great recipient of forgiveness and it empowers me to forgive others.
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