Maya Moore's jubilant reaction as Jonathan Irons leaves Missouri prison; watch video

Maya Moore, who left the WNBA last year in order to fight for the freedom of the wrongly-convicted Jonathan Irons, struggled to stay on her feet on Wednesday as she saw Irons walk out of the Missouri prison as a free man. Two years worth of effort from the four-time WNBA champion played a pivotal role in Irons' release. He was acquitted of his charges earlier this year after the judge found the evidence in his case "circumstantial at best."

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Who is Jonathan Irons? Maya Moore and Jonathan Irons

Jonathan Irons, an African-American and a native of Missouri, was judged guilty by a jury in 1998 for charges of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon. The burglary and shooting at the home of occurred at the home of Stanley Stotler, for which Irons was found guilty. Irons was just aged 16 when the incident occurred. He was 18 when he was sentenced to prison. 

Since the Jonathan Irons conviction, the Missouri native has repeatedly insisted he was not there at the scene of the crime and had been misidentified.

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Maya Moore and Jonathan Irons

Maya Moore was introduced to inmate No. 101145 - Jonathan Irons - in 2007 during a penitentiary visit before her freshman year at the University of Connecticut. Moore opened up on her friendship with Irons in 2016 when he started advocating reforms in the American justice system. In 2019, the former Minnesota Lynx star dropped a bombshell when he announced her sabbatical from the sport in order to fight for the reforms. 

The Jonathan Irons released news was reported back in March this year after Jefferson City Judge Daniel Green turned the guilty verdict of Irons and order the release of the now 40-year-old from the maximum-security prison in Missouri after 23 long years. 

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Jonathan Irons released: Maya Moore and Jonathan Irons embrace; watch

On Wednesday, June 1, Jonathan Irons walked out of the Jefferson City Correctional Center as a free man where he was greeted by his family members and a devout Maya Moore. Moore posted the footage of the Irons' release from the prison to her social media handles where the 31-year-can be seen on her feet in disbelief as Irons hugged his near and dear ones. She later hugs Irons before the duo appears in front of the camera. "I feel like I can live life now,” Irons said. “I’m free, I’m blessed, I just want to live my life worthy of God’s help and influence. I thank everybody who supported me — Maya and her family.”

During an interview with Good Morning America, Maya Moore recalled what it was to see Irons walk out of the prison facility. "It was an unplanned moment where I just felt relief. It was kind of a worshipful moment just dropping to my knees and being so thankful that we made it," she explained. Moore added that she is unsure about her return to the court as she plans to "live in the moment." "Now is the time to take a break then seeing what the future holds, maybe around the same time next spring," she added. 

Also Read | Jonathan Irons Released: How Did Maya Moore Help Irons Gain His Freedom By Opting Out Of WNBA?

(Image Credits: Maya Moore Instagram Handle)