UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - He spent nearly 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. On Tuesday, Steven Barnes, of Marcy, is free.

An Oneida County Judge vacated Barnes' conviction and sentence Tuesday, citing a joint motion by the Oneida County District Attorney's Office and The Innocence Project.

The "not for profit" re-examines convictions using advances in DNA technology.

Many people still remember the murder of 16 year-old Kimberly Simon in Whitestown back in 1985, and many of them were in court to see Steven Barnes, a man whose innocence they say they never doubted, set free.

One of the first things Judge Michael Dwyer did Tuesday was ask court security to remove Steven Barnes' handcuffs and shackles.

That's about when Barnes' mother and sister began quietly crying, as the judge had cautioned against any outbursts of emotion.

Steven Barnes' family was in court, as were many of his friends and neighbors.

Barnes is free because The Innocence Project took on his case and, using advances in DNA technology, was able to exclude Barnes' DNA from DNA found on victim Kimberly Simon.

Barnes has missed a lot in 20 years - he knows nothing about cell phones, the internet, and his home and hometown look completely different.

He talked about adjusting to his new found freedom.

"For 20 years I had people telling me what to do, telling me to lock in, telling me to go to chow, telling me go here, telling me to get off the phone," Barnes said. "I spent almost 20 Christmases in jail, I used to be locked in Christmas Day."

Barnes' friends, who visited him in prison, were in court Tuesday to welcome him home.

Attorney Barry Scheck, who rose to international fame defending OJ Simpson on charges he murdered his wife, founded The Innocence Project and was in Oneida County Court Tuesday to see Barnes set free.

First stop Tuesday was for a big steak dinner at Delmonico's in North Utica.

Then, Barnes will be welcoming family and friends at their home in Marcy.