ST. LOUIS – Christopher Dunn walked out of the Carnahan Courthouse as a free man Tuesday night. Wednesday, he sat down with FOX 2 after spending more than 12,000 days behind bars.
“There’s no words you can use to describe how I felt,” he said.
Dunn talked about embracing his elderly mother, who he says he was hardly able to see while in prison. He credits his support system, especially his wife, Kira, for his release after 34 years.
“They give me purpose; they give me a reason to life,” Dunn shared. “Before Kira came into my life, I was hopeless.”
He is now starting a new life from scratch. Things have changed a lot since 1990.
“Now, they got the XBOX thing, the cell phones…when I left, they had a brick!” he said.
Dunn is enjoying his freedom. While money is a concern, Missouri only compensates for convictions overturned by DNA evidence. But he said that isn’t stealing his joy.
“Most people are worried about the financial aspects of it. Me? I may not be here five, 10 years down the line because of my medical problems. So, I’m just trying to focus on what I can see in front of me,” he said.
Although the people who wrongfully put him behind bars for the 1990 murder of Ricco Rogers will never be held accountable, Dunn has accepted it and is at peace.
“I’ve learned in order to get over the hate, the frustration, you have to cut any ties to anything that’s holding you back,” he shared.
There was one last thing Dunn wanted to say for those who hear his story.
“Give those who are incarcerated a chance to be heard. Don’t turn your backs on them, because this could be your son, your daughter, your niece, nephew, or auntie. Don’t ever say it can’t happen to you. Because it can,” he said.
