More than two years after being pardoned for a murder conviction, Vince Gilmer finally left a Virginia prison Thursday, resolving a controversial case that has drawn attention from around the world.
Gilmer is gravely ill with Huntington’s disease, a neurological disorder that was undiagnosed at the time of his conviction for the 2004 murder. His case became a rallying point for advocates who say mental illness is mishandled by the criminal justice system.