A Minnesota man who had been imprisoned for nearly 30 years for a murder committed in 1998 was released on Thursday when a judge annulled his conviction, acknowledging he was wrongfully found guilty.
Bryan Hooper Sr. was initially sentenced to a minimum of 30 years after being convicted in the killing of 77-year-old Ann Prazniak, whose body was found wrapped in a cardboard box at her home in Minneapolis. The official cause of death was asphyxiation.
Hooper’s conviction largely relied on testimony from witnesses who later took back their statements, including Chalaka Young. Young allegedly admitted to killing Prazniak and disposing of her body. Initially, she claimed she was merely a lookout for Hooper during the attack and was coerced into helping hide the body.
“The courts have validated what Bryan Hooper, his family, friends, and those supporting him have always believed: Mr. Hooper is innocent,” stated Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “Our responsibility as prosecutors is to ensure the right individuals are held accountable, which means recognizing our errors and correcting them promptly.”
Hooper exited the Stillwater Correctional Facility on Thursday as a free man and was reunited with his children, according to the Great North Innocence Project. He is expected to temporarily relocate to the Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
The woman who reportedly confessed to the murder is currently imprisoned in Georgia for an assault-related charge. With Hooper’s exoneration, the case of Prazniak’s death has been returned to the Minneapolis Police Department for further investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
