The man at the centre of one of New Zealand’s most controversial murder convictions is set to have it overturned.
Alan Hall was found guilty of killing Arthur Easton in Auckland 36 years ago.
Now, Crown Law has accepted he was likely wrongfully convicted of the Grove Road murder.
Alan Hall, walking alongside his brothers, and soon to be free of a 36-year-old label as a convicted murderer.
Convicted for the 1985 murder of Auckland man Arthur Easton he was sent to jail for a crime he has always maintained he didn't do. He's since been in and out of prison - spending a total of 18 years behind bars.
"That was a moment that I just went 'what 36 years of this' and then boom we won," Alan's brother Geoff Hall said.
Now, his lawyers say the Crown has deemed his case a miscarriage of justice and will not seek a retrial. The case will now go to the Supreme Court to have his conviction formally quashed.
"We'll wait and see what they make of our submissions, Crown Law submissions but we're hopeful of getting Alan exonerated as soon as we possibly can," investigator Tim McKinnel said.
A diagnosis of autism meant Alan couldn't provide a consistent alibi and account of what happened.
Newshub Nation investigations two years ago also revealed other major breakthroughs including the claim witness statements of the offender's description were altered.
"Turned this case around actually, I believe it's the starting point that turned this around," Geoff said.
Hall was recalled to prison in 2012 after it was claimed he breached parole conditions for a separate historic charge.
He was released again just last month and is focused on his second chance at life with the murder victim in his thoughts.
"What we have to look at is Arthur Easton and the way the police handled his murder and the Easton family, nobody is talking about them and they're the true victims here," he said.
Victims who have no one to hold to account after 36 long years.
