HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
>> Anchor: WRONGLY CONVICTED
AND SENT TO PRISON.
THREE MEN NOW PART OF A
FRATERNITY NO ONE WANTS TO JOIN.
RAY AND TOMMY HIGHERS KNOWS WHAT
SANFORD IS GOING THROUGH.
AGO.
>> Anchor: NOW SHARING THEIR
EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM WITH
DAVONTAE HELPING HIM TO SURVIVE
LIFE AS A FREE MAN.
PAULA WAS THERE AS THREE MET
FIRST TIME.
PAULA THAT HAD TO BE POWERFUL.
>> Reporter: IT WAS INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL WHEN I WALKED IN.
AND I WATCHED THOSE MEN EMBRACE.
THROUGH.
YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT
SAY, OH, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING
THROUGH.
THESE TWO BROTHERS KNOW WHAT
DAVONTAE IS GOING THROUGH.
GO MEET BETWEEN DAVONTAE AND RAY
AND TOMMY WAS POWERFUL.
>> WHAT IS UP MAN?
>> TRYING TO GET BACK TO LIFE.
>> Reporter: SPRAY AND TOMMY
SPENT 25 YEARS IN JAIL FOR A
MURDER THEY DID NOT COMMIT.
RELEASED FOUR YEARS AGO.
NAVIGATED LIVES ON THE OUTSIDE.
BOTH KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE
WRONGFULLY CONVICTED AND USE
YEARS OF LIVES AND COME OUT ON
THE OTHER SIDE AND FIGHT TO MAKE
LIFE RIGHT.
>> LEARN HOW TO DRIVE, RIGHT?
>> WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW.
>> Reporter: DAVONTAE WAITING
FOR CHARGES TO BE OFFICIALLY
DROPPED SO HE CAN JOIN EXXONRE
STATUS.
SOMETHING HE WANTS TO DO.
SOMETHING HE MISSED DURING
TEENAGE YEARS.
>> READY TO GO DOWN AND SEE THE
POINT.
>> Reporter: THIS IS CULTURE
SHOCK FOR DAVONTAE.
>> I HAD A FRIEND CALL ME SAY
ARE YOU AT THE MALL.
[INAUDIBLE]
>> Reporter: HE WENT INTO AN
ADULT PRISON AT AGE 15.
HE HAS GROWNUP WATCHING HIS BACK
AND BEING PREPARED TO YOUR FIGHT
TO PROTECT HIMSELF.
AND NOW PEOPLE ARE ALL OVER HIM.
WHO IS THIS PERSON?
>> Reporter: SO A MENTORSHIP
BEGINS.
>> YOU JUST HAVE TO STAY
FOCUSED.
OUT.
ALL TYPES OF THINGS OUT HERE
THAT WILL TRY TO GET YOU RIGHT
BACK INTO THE GARBAGE.
AND JUST GET ALL POSITIVE PEOPLE
IN YOUR LIFE.
IF THEY ARE NOT POSITIVE.
AND YOU CANNOT REALLY LEARN
SOMETHING FROM THEM.
THEN MOVE FORWARD.
THEY ARE NOT EVEN LIKE -- DO NOT
HAVE THEM AROUND.
YOU ARE DEALING WITH ANOTHER
MENTALITY.
OF PEOPLE.
TOO.
SO WHEN YOU COME HOME.
YOU STILL HAVE THAT.
DOES NOT JUST FLY AWAY.
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO
NATIONAL REGISTRY OF EXXONRES OF
MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL.
SINCE 1989 THERE WERE 1820
PEOPLE IN THE NATION THAT HAVE
BEEN EVENTUALLY FOUND INNOCENT
COMMITTING.
65 OF THEM INCLUDING DAVONTAE
COME FROM MICHIGAN.
BEHIND BARS.
>> THERE IS PROBLEMS IN YOUR
MIND YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
LIKE FIGURING IT OUT ON YOUR
OWN.
>>I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
>> GOING TO SCHOOL.
GET A JOB.
I WANT TO BECOME INDEPENDENT.
>> Reporter: VAM RENEWMAN
ATTORNEY FOR ALL THREE MEN EVER
PRESENT ALWAYS HOOVERING.
WATCHING PROTECTING AND NEVER
PUSHING.
>> SOMETIMES TOMMY SLIPS UP AND
CALLS ME MOM.
>> DOES EASY REALLY.
>> IF IT WAS NOT FOR PEOPLE
HELPING US WE COULD HAVE NEVER
HELPED OURSELVES.
IN THE MANNER WE NEEDED.
>> Reporter: FOR THESE THREE
MEN BROTHERS BY CIRCUMSTANCE,
CAN W.
FRIENDSHIP.
AND COURAGE.
THERE IS LIFE AFTER INJUSTICE.
MAN.
THAT'S ALL.
PEOPLE.
US.
YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL SUPPORT