A 69-year-old mentally impaired man from Connecticut celebrated walking free from jail today after spending more than two decades behind bars for the rape and murder of his wife's grandmother . Last month a court ruled Richard Lapointe , a former dishwasher , was deprived of a fair trial for the 1987 killing and on Friday , a judge ordered him to be freed on $ 25,000 cash bail . The former inmate was photographed walking out of the hearing alongside his attorney and another supporter with his arms weakly raised in the air.In lieu of his prison jumpsuit , . Lapointe opted for a dark T-shirt over a dress shirt emblazoned with the words ' I did n't do it ' . He later described his release as 'wonderful ' and during a press conference he said he 'd always dreamed of going home . His attorney said he will stay under a 7pm to 7am curfew with a couple in East Hartford . Last month a court ruled Richard Lapointe , a former dishwasher , was deprived of a fair trial for the 1987 killing and on Friday , a judge ordered him to be freed on $ 25,000 cash bail . One of his first requests Friday was for a steak dinner . He also expressed fascination with the smartphones reporters were using during the news conference . Lapointe confessed to raping , strangling and stabbing 88-year-old Bernice Martin at her Manchester apartment in 1989 and was sentenced in 1992 to life in prison without parole . Lapointe 's lawyer and supporters said the evidence showed he could not have committed the crimes and his mental disability made him vulnerable to giving a false confession . His case became a cause celebre , receiving widespread publicity as advocates for the mentally disabled and other supporters - including writers Arthur Miller and William Styron - rallied to prove his innocence . Finally , last month the state Supreme Court ruled that Lapointe was deprived of a fair trial because prosecutors failed to disclose notes by a police officer that may have supported an alibi defense . The former inmate was photographed walking out of the hearing alongside his attorney and another supporter with his weakly arms raised in the air . In lieu of his prison jumpsuit , Lapointe opted for a dark T-shirt over a dress shirt emblazoned with the words ' I did n't do it ' . The decision upheld an earlier ruling by the state Appellate Court , which in 2012 overturned Lapointe 's convictions for capital felony murder , sexual assault and other crimes . The court ruled that Lapointe be released or given a new trial . Murder charges have been refiled but the prosecutor , Gail Hardy , said the state needs to review the evidence before deciding whether it can go forward with another trial . Lapointe is due back in court on May 15 . On Friday Lapointe , wearing an orange prison jumpsuit , shackles and thick glasses , was hunched over and visibly shaking as he sipped from a cup of water in court . His supporters and attorneys say Lapointe could not have committed the crime due to his disabilities . One of his first requests Friday was for a steak dinner - he also expressed fascination with the smartphones reporters were using during the news conference . Lapointe confessed to raping , strangling and stabbing 88-year-old Bernice Martin at her Manchester apartment in 1989 and was sentenced in 1992 to life in prison without parole ( undated inmate photo above ) He suffers from Dandy-Walker syndrome , which affects brain development and causes intellectual and physical impairments . They say Lapointe , who confessed after nearly ten hours of police interrogation , was railroaded under pressure and that he barely understood what was happening to him . Lapointe 's release was processed by court officials , and he was freed from custody in the afternoon . The judge rejected a request by prosecutors that Lapointe wear an electronic monitoring bracelet . Defense attorneys say their client can not drive and is barely able to walk , therefore he does not pose a flight risk . 'We are ecstatic that after all these years Richard is finally being freed . 'This was a travesty of justice from the start , ' said Kate Germond , director of Centurion Ministries , a nonprofit organization that works to vindicate people who have been wrongfully convicted . 'He will finally get to sleep in a real bed and breathe some fresh air today for the first time since his unjust incarceration , ' she said .
Richard Lapointe , a former dishwasher , confessed to raping and stabbing 88-year-old Bernice Martin at her Manchester apartment in 1989 . He was sentenced in 1992 to life in prison without parole . Lapointe 's supporters said evidence showed he could not have committed the crimes and his disability made him vulnerable to a false confession . Friday a court ruled Lapointe was deprived of a fair trial and on Last month , a judge ordered him to be freed on $ 25,000 cash bail .