Graduation season is upon us, and is no doubt an exciting time for parents and students alike. At one graduation in particular, there was one parent who got to celebrate his son’s accomplishment in a major way. At Goshen College’s graduation, Eddie Bolden was present to watch his son walk across the stage, something he almost missed because until recently he was in prison. As it turns out, Bolden was wrongfully convicted of murdering two men, and served 22 years in prison for the crime before being exonerated. Thanks to the help of Susan Carlson, a private investigator, who discovered three witnesses who were previously interviewed by Bolden’s defense team.
A credible witness was able to testify that Eddie Bolden was at a different location during the time of the murder. Bolden was exonerated earlier this year but only released last week.
He was released just in time to watch 21 year old Dominique Bolden walk across the stage. Eddie told the South Bend Tribune: “I was anxious to see him walk across the stage, I can’t stop crying.” He went on to explain how hard the 22 years were that he spent proclaiming his innocence, Dominique would visit his father and talk to him frequently on the phone. It was during these visits that Eddie asked Dominique to never give up on him. Dominique kept his promise to his father and learned from it. “Seeing his situation and how he refused to give up and how hard that was, compared to that school is nothing. Why would I give up school when he’s fighting his way through that?”
As a newly freed man Eddie is enjoying being able to do what he wants but most importantly he is enjoying being able to be a part of his sons’ memorable moments.
