The 73-year-old Detroit, Michigan, man spent decades in prison for a 1971 murder that he did not commit, after being framed by the actual killer — a man who would end up serving as the state’s star witness during Phillips’ trial.
As Phillips sat in his cell, he turned to art as an escape — a way to keep his sanity in a violent place. Between 1971, when he first entered prison, and 2018, when he was freed, Phillips created more than 400 watercolor paintings, all based on photographs he would find in newspapers. Phillips’ story — the circumstances that led to his conviction and exoneration — will be told on tonight’s episode ofPhillips is selling his paintingsPhillips never let the horror of his circumstances break his spirits. He was certain the truth would come to light, and refused to lose hope that redemption was coming.for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
In 2010, Phillips’ alleged co-defendant, Richard Polombo, told a parole board Phillips had nothing to do with the 1971 murder of Gregory Harris. Polombo further claimed Harris’ real killer framed Phillips for the killing, even helping prosecutors build their case against him. Phillips, a former auto worker, was freed in 2018 after several University of Michigan law students, working in conjunction with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, proved his innocence.But what would happen to the real killer? Would police pursue him, finally bringing him to justice after 45-plus years?