# DNA evidence helps Atlanta man go free after two decades in prison – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

> Marquez Powell, an Atlanta man, was released after spending nearly 21 years in prison for crimes related to the killing of his best friend, after new DNA evidence proved his innocence, according to th…

**Published**: 2026-11-02
**Source**: https://gps.press/gps-news/dna-evidence-helps-atlanta-man-go-free-after-two-decades-in-prison-the-atlanta-journal-constitution/
**Author**: Georgia Prisoners' Speak

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Marquez Powell, an Atlanta man, was released after spending nearly 21 years in prison for crimes related to the killing of his best friend, after new DNA evidence proved his innocence, according to the Georgia Innocence Project. The Georgia Innocence Project worked with Fulton County's Conviction Integrity Unit to secure his release. The exoneration comes nearly a year after Georgia enacted a new system to compensate the wrongfully convicted, which allows people who can prove their innocence to access funds for years lost behind bars. The article notes that some prosecutors have created units to review past convictions where exculpatory evidence is now available, as in Powell's case.