A man sentenced to 5 life terms is released after nearly 30 years

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A Brooklyn man who served 27 years in prison for robbery and drug charges has been granted early release by the same judge that had sentenced him to five life terms behind bars. The judge now says the penalty was overly harsh. Walter Johnson was released Thursday from a federal prison in upstate New York. The now-61-year-old said he intends to live with his family in Brooklyn and give back to his community. The judge cited changing judicial standards for his decision to reduce Johnson’s sentence to time served. Federal prosecutors opposed the move, but at least one of Johnson’s primary victims supported it.