Exonerated after 42 years in prison, two cousins look forward to fresh start in 2024
Two weeks ago, Jimmy Soto and David Ayala were wearing blue prison-issued jumpsuits.
On Tuesday, they were both in new suits, ready to tackle the new year and their new lives after serving 42 years in prison for a 1981 double slaying in McKinley Park. They were exonerated this month in what is the longest-served wrongful conviction sentence in state history, according to the University of Michigan’s National Registry of Exonerations.
“To me, it’s like shedding the last vestiges of prison,” Ayala said.
Ayala, 60, and Soto, 62, got makeovers Tuesday at the Project Gentlemen Image & Grooming Studio at 540 W. 35th St. in Bridgeport, which provides grooming and clothing services for graduating high school seniors and adult men ready to reenter the workforce. Both went home with new suits, free of charge.
“The world has completely changed after being away for 42 years,” said Jermaine Anderson, founder and executive director of Project Gentlemen, which opened its storefront in November. “We wanted to make sure that they had something up to date to make sure they had current tools and resources to become relevant, productive members returning to the world.”
Project Gentlemen is funded by donations, Anderson said, and all the items in the store are free.
This report was prepared in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For the full story, visit chicago.suntimes.com.