Minneapolis, MN (MinnesotaNow) - A man sent to prison 27 years ago for the murder of an elderly Minneapolis woman could soon be free due to the efforts of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.

Moriarty announced yesterday that her office will join a petition submitted by the Great North Innocence Project on behalf of Bryan Hooper. The petition asks the court to vacate his 1998 first-degree murder conviction for the death of 77-year-old Ann Prazniak.

“Ms. Prazniak’s death was senseless, and it deserves justice. But we are convinced that Bryan Hooper did not commit that crime; he has been in prison for 27 years for something he didn’t do,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “We can never return what was taken from Mr. Hooper in 1998, and for that, I am sorry. However, we can do the right thing today, and today we are joining the petition to vacate Mr. Hooper’s conviction.”

According to Moriarty, new evidence provided to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office Conviction Integrity Unit by the Minneapolis Police Department supports Hooper's claims of innocence. Late last month, the prosecution’s key trial witness recanted her testimony and confessed to the murder.

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Moriarty identified the key witness who has now confessed to the crime as Chalaka Young, who is now in prison for an assault conviction in Georgia. Following the murder, Young told police that Hooper had her served as a lookout while he committed the murder and then forced her to help conceal the victim's body.

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A news release issued by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office says the remaining evidence presented by the prosecution in Hooper's trial consisted of incentivized witnesses, including “jailhouse informants.” Moriarty also noted that most of those witnesses have signed affidavits recanting their testimony.