Fairborn man celebrates freedom at Christmas gathering

FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) - A Fairborn man celebrated his freedom and the holidays Saturday night.

Friends and family of Roger Dean Gillispie gathered at Packy's Bar and Grill inside the Hope Hotel for a Christmas celebration Saturday, complete with music, food, and entertainment.

Roger Dean Gillispie was released from prison about a year ago, after being locked up for two decades.

Gillispie walked out of the London Correctional Institution last November after a federal judge ruled he did not receive a fair trial. He'd been in prison since 1991, when he was convicted of raping three women in 1988.

Gillispie has always maintained his innocence, and with the help of a non-profit group, called the "Innocence Project", he was freed.   

"I was in prison, dying in prison. I had 22 to 56 years in prison for something I didn't do. I did 20 years," said Gillispie.

Saturday night he was able to gather with loved ones and relish in his freedom.

"There's a lot of things in this world that people think is important," said Gillispie. "This is important right here, family and friends. They don't go away when hard times come."