1 TONIGHT ON 20/20 ` THE STORY OF TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WOMEN BROUGHT TOGETHER BY A MURDER ` ONE A NURSE AND MOTHER, CONVICTED OF KILLING HER BOYFRIEND,... THE OTHER A LAWYER, OBSESSED WITH PROVING HER INNOCENCE. IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO SOMEONE LIKE KIM, IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY ONE OF US. TONIGHT, 20/20 IS TAKING YOU INSIDE THAT CASE. AFTER 13 YEARS SPENT FIGHTING A MURDER CHARGE, KIMBERLY LONG'S LIFE IS PASSING HER BY. WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST? EVERYTHING ` MY KIDS, MY MOM AND DAD. WILL THIS BE HER LAST CHANCE AT FREEDOM? YOU'RE GOING AWAY FOR LIFE, AND YOU'RE COMING OUT IN A PINE BOX. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016 KIA ORA. I'M CAROLYN ROBINSON. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS FAMILIAR TO MANY KIWIS ` THE THEME PARKS, SHOPPING, SAND AND SURF. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE, A DARKER SIDE, AND TONIGHT'S 20/20 COMES FROM THAT DARK SIDE. KIMBERLY LONG, A NURSE AND MOTHER OF TWO, WAS CONVICTED OF BEATING HER BOYFRIEND TO DEATH. FACED WITH SPENDING THE REST OF HER LIFE BEHIND BARS, LONG TURNED TO THE CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST DECISION SHE EVER MADE. MATT GUTMAN BRINGS YOU THE STORY OF KIMBERLY LONG AND 'HER LAST CHANCE'. IT'S 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, AND WHILE MOST OF US ARE AT HOME, ALISSA BJERKHOEL IS AT THE OFFICE. MY MOTTO IS THAT I'M NEVER GONNA GIVE UP. I WILL FIND A WAY. AN ATTORNEY WITH THE CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT, BJERKHOEL IS SO DEVOTED TO CRUSADING FOR HER CLIENTS' RELEASE FROM PRISON THAT THEIR CASES LITERALLY MOVE HER TO TEARS. HOW DO YOU TELL SOMEONE THAT, EVEN WITH THAT EVIDENCE OF INNOCENCE, THEY'RE GONNA DIE IN PRISON? IN THIS CASE, THAT SOMEONE IS KIM LONG, A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE, A MOTHER OF TWO LITTLE ONES, FOUND GUILTY OF SAVAGELY KILLING HER LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND 13 YEARS AGO. IF IT CAN HAPPEN TO SOMEONE LIKE KIM, WHO WAS A NURSE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO IS A MOTHER, WHO'S JUST YOUR AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY, IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY ONE OF US, AND THAT'S WHAT'S SCARY. NURSE, MOM, DAUGHTER ` THAT'S THE PORTRAIT OF KIM LONG HER ATTORNEYS WANT YOU TO HAVE. BUT THE PROSECUTION HAS PAINTED LONG AS A DRUNK, AN ASPIRING BIKER CHICK AND BRUTALLY VIOLENT. I'M NOT THAT PERSON. I'M NOT A MEAN, MALICIOUS PERSON. 'SO WHO'S THE REAL KIM? SHE AGREED TO TALK TO US, SO TONIGHT, YOU CAN FORM YOUR OWN OPINION.' NOW IT'S ABOUT BEING NATURAL, AND IT'S ABOUT CONVERSATION AND ABOUT BEING YOU. I NEVER CARE HOW I LOOK. REALLY? NO. THE AFFABLE DEMEANOUR AND SELF-ASSURED VOICE OF THE FORMER NURSE A FAR CRY FROM THE FRANTIC TONE YOU HEAR IN HER 911 CALL FROM OCTOBER 6TH 2003. SCREAMS OF DISBELIEF AS KIM DESCRIBES THE BODY OF HER BOYFRIEND, OZZY CONDE, BRUTALLY BLUDGEONED TO DEATH ON THEIR LIVING ROOM SOFA. I ALWAYS HAVE TO RELIVE IT, AND IT'S SO HARD TO DO, YOU KNOW? AFTER 13 YEARS, IT'S JUST... NOT ANY EASIER... TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. SHE'D CERTAINLY SEEN HIM IN HAPPIER TIMES. THEY'D FIRST MET IN THE LATE '80S WHEN SHE WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SUNNY ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE TWO SHARED A PASSION FOR A NEW BAND CALLED GUNS N' ROSES. # WHOA, # WHOA, WHOA, SWEET CHILD OF MINE. WHAT DREW YOU TO HIM? HE WAS VERY SWEET, VERY GENUINE, KIND-HEARTED, JUST LOVED EVERYBODY, LOVED LIFE. HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I'VE EVER LOVED, SO I THINK THAT ALWAYS STICKS WITH YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. THEY LOST TOUCH WHEN KIM'S FAMILY MOVED TO CORONA, AN L.A. BEDROOM COMMUNITY ABOUT 25 MILES AWAY. IT WOULD BE NEARLY A DECADE BEFORE THE TWO LOVEBIRDS LOCKED EYES AGAIN. IT HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. ON A HUNCH, KIM SAYS SHE APPEARED AT OZZY'S FRONT DOOR. HAD HE CHANGED MUCH SINCE YOU FIRST MET HIM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? NO, WE JUST GOT OLDER. I THINK IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT AGAIN. WE BOTH FELT THE SAME WAY. EXCEPT FOR ONE BIG DIFFERENCE ` WHEN THEY LAST SAW EACH OTHER, THEY WERE KIDS. NOW KIM HAD KIDS OF HER OWN ` A 5-YEAR-OLD SON AND A 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. OZZY WAS ALSO A DAD AND HAD BECOME SOMETHING OF AN ARTIST. HIS MUSE ` MOTORCYCLES. HIS CANVAS ` POLISHED CHROME. AND WHILE HE DREAMED OF OPEN ROADS, KIM FANTASISED ABOUT A BIKER WEDDING. YEAH, NOW IT SOUNDS REALLY STUPID. YOU KNOW, A BIKER WEDDING. ALL I WANTED WAS A COUPLE BIKES THERE. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL. OCTOBER 5TH 2003. A LAZY FALL SUNDAY. KIM'S KIDS ARE AWAY, SO SHE AND OZZY JOINED SOME FRIENDS FOR A DAY OF BIKING AND BOOZING. ALCOHOL PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF A BAD DECISION THAT I EVER MADE. BY NIGHTFALL, KIM SAYS SHE'S DOWNED AS MANY AS 22 DRINKS. SHE'S LIT UP LIKE THE FOURTH OF JULY, AND OZZY IS AGGRAVATED AS HE WATCHES HIS GIRLFRIEND FLIRT WITH OTHER GUYS HERE AT MAVERICKS, A LOCAL BAR. WERE YOU A FLIRT? YEAH. HE JUST SAID I WAS MOVING ABOUT TOO MUCH, TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE, NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO HIM. THE TIMELINE OF WHAT FOLLOWS ` MUCH OF IT HOTLY CONTESTED ` WILL BE THE KEY TO THE CASE. BUT ALL SIDES AGREE THAT ONCE HOME, IN THE COUPLE'S DRIVEWAY, THE JEALOUSY AND RESENTMENT PROVED TO BE EXPLOSIVE. DO YOU REMEMBER THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU WERE SAYING TO HIM? UH, 'YOU'RE NOT WORKING', 'GET OUT'. I COULD HAVE SAID 'DEADBEAT'. I SAID SOME PRETTY MEAN THINGS TO HIM. HE WAS IN BETWEEN JOBS, SO I JUST HAD A LOT OF AMMUNITION. FED UP, SHE TOLD HIM TO PACK UP AND GET OUT. THERE'S A WITNESS TO ALL OF THIS ` JEFF DILLS, A FRIEND WHO'D HUNG OUT WITH HIM THROUGHOUT THE DAY. HE WATCHES AS KIM BECOMES VIOLENT, NOT ONLY HURLING INSULTS BUT ANYTHING SHE CAN GET HER HANDS ON. YEAH, STARTED THROWING MY PURSE AT HIM. I THINK I SWUNG MY HELMET. WELL, YOU WERE HAVING A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION IN PUBLIC WITH A MAN WHO, A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, WOULD WIND UP DEAD. MM-HM. LOOKS BAD. YEAH, IT DOES. FEARING NEIGHBOURS MIGHT CALL POLICE, JEFF STEPS IN AND OFFERS TO TAKE KIM TO HIS PLACE TO COOL OFF. BUT AFTER THEY ARRIVE THERE, THINGS ONLY GET HOTTER. KIM HAD ANOTHER DRINK, AND THEY DECIDED TO GET INTO THE HOT TUB ` STARTED FOOLING AROUND, KISSING. AND THEN THEY TOOK THINGS TO THE BEDROOM. AFTER THEIR TRYST, JEFF DRIVES KIM BACK HOME. HE SAYS HE WATCHED HER GO INSIDE. IT'S, LIKE, THE HARDEST PART. THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED, AND I WALKED INTO THE HOUSE. AND I CAN` (SIGHS) MAN. SO, I COULD SEE OZZY LAYING ON THE COUCH, AND I CALLED HIS NAME, AND I SAW A BIG BLOOD STAIN ON THE COUCH. SHE SAYS WHEN SHE SEES A GAPING GASH ON HIS HEAD, SHE FREAKS OUT. I RAN OUTSIDE FOR SOME REASON, THINKING, 'I CAN CATCH JEFF.' AND I REMEMBERED GOING INTO THE KITCHEN, GETTING THE PHONE AND CALLING 911. THE CALL WAS MADE AT 2.09. DID YOU THINK OF RENDERING FIRST AID? I DON'T KNOW. DOING ANYTHING? I'M JUST PANICKED, AND I NEED SOMEBODY TO COME AND HELP ME. AFTER BEING COOPED UP IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM FOR HOURS, COPS BEGIN TO QUESTION NURSE LONG. SHE'S STILL DRUNK FROM HER 12-HOUR BENDER, BUT SHE'S CLEAR-HEADED ENOUGH TO DEMAND SOME ANSWERS. SHE DESCRIBES THAT DAY'S EVENTS BUT IS ODDLY RELUCTANT TO SPECIFY WHO SHE WAS WITH. WHEN THE INTERROGATION RESUMES, KIM IS INCONSOLABLE. OZZY'S LOST HIS LIFE; SHE'S LOST HER LOVE. WELL, THAT DEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION OF PERFECT. POLICE ARE PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON KIM FOR KILLING HER MR RIGHT. BUT WERE THEY LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE? COMING UP ` A TALE OF THE ANGRY EX. AND IF ANYBODY WAS GONNA KILL HIM, IT'D PROBABLY BE YOU. AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A MOTIVE FOR MURDER. ANOTHER WOMAN BECOMES THE FOCUS OF THE DEFENCE AS THEY TRY TO CLEAR KIMBERLY LONG. AND WE GO INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION AS FBI EXPERTS TAKE US THROUGH THE MURDER SCENE WHEN 20/20 RETURNS. WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND THE STORY OF KIMBERLY LONG AND HER LAST CHANCE. NOW AS LONG FACES POLICE QUESTIONING OVER THE DEATH OF HER BOYFRIEND, SHE COMES UNDER INCREASING SUSPICION WHILE THE MAN WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE HER ALIBI TURNS OUT TO BE ANYTHING BUT. MATT GUTMAN CONTINUES WITH THE STORY. WOMAN: I'VE BEEN IN THIS POLICE STATION SINCE 2 IN THE MORNING. THE PARTY IS OVER FOR KIM LONG. BUT HER QUALITY TIME WITH CORONA POLICE IS JUST GETTING STARTED. AS SHE BOUNCES OFF THE WALLS OF THIS INTERROGATION ROOM, HER BELLY STILL FULL OF BOOZE, SHE'S NOT JUST UNDER THE INFLUENCE, BUT UNDER SUSPICION. (SOBS) IS THIS THE CASE OF 'IF YOU FIND THE BODY, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY A SUSPECT'? THAT'S ALMOST AUTOMATIC IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT PERSON AS A POTENTIAL SUSPECT UNTIL YOU CAN RULE THEM OUT. FORMER FBI AGENT AND ABC CONSULTANT STEVE GOMEZ HAS STUDIED THE POLICE FILE. THEY GET THE AUTOPSY BACK, AND WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU? THE OBJECT THAT WAS USED TO STRIKE OZZY WAS SOME TYPE OF LONG OBJECT SUCH AS A BAT OR A GOLF CLUB. COULD A RELATIVELY PETITE, 5'3", 5'4" WOMAN, WEIGHS 130 POUNDS, COULD SHE HAVE DONE THAT? IF SHE WAS ANGRY ENOUGH, ABSOLUTELY SHE COULD'VE DONE THIS. WE RETURN TO THE HOUSE WITH BILL SYLVESTER, AN INVESTIGATOR FOR KIM'S DEFENCE TEAM. UH, THE CRIME THAT OCCURRED WAS IN THIS ROOM. THE CURRENT RESIDENTS ALLOWED US INSIDE. ALL RIGHT, SO, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY IT WAS. IN THE ARGUMENT, THIS IS WHERE THE SUSPECT WAS, DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THERE WERE BLOOD SPATTERS FOUND ON EVERY WALL IN THIS ROOM ` CEILING, THE FLOOR, THIS DOOR, AND OUT THIS DOOR INTO THE GARAGE. TWO THINGS ARE NOTICEABLY ABSENT AT THE SCENE. FOR ONE, THE MURDER WEAPON WHICH TO THIS DAY HAS NEVER BEEN RECOVERED. AND TWO, DESPITE THE BLOODY CRIME SCENE, NOT A SPECK OF BLOOD WAS FOUND ON THE COPS' PRIME SUSPECT, KIM LONG. NOT ON THOSE JEANS, THAT BLACK SHIRT, THAT BELT. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY POLICE FOUND THAT A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS? NOT REALLY. YOU WERE SO CLEAN THAT SOMETHING SMELT WRONG. WELL, THAT'S JUST BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE COPS BEGIN TO FORMULATE A THEORY THAT KIM CAME HOME STILL ANGRY, BEAT OZZY TO DEATH, DISPOSED OF THE MURDER WEAPON AND CLEANED HERSELF UP BEFORE DIALLING 911. BUT SHE'S GOT AN ALIBI WITNESS ` AT LEAST SHE THOUGHT SHE DID ` JEFF DILLS, THE BIKER FRIEND WHO BROUGHT HER OVER TO HIS HOUSE AND INTO HIS HOT TUB THAT NIGHT. WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND WHEN JEFF DILLS COMES IN FOR QUESTIONING, HIS STORY ISN'T JUST DIFFERENT ` IT'S DAMNING. WHY LIE ABOUT HAVING SEX WITH JEFF DILLS? YOU'RE POSSIBLY A SUSPECT FOR MURDER. YEAH, I WAS JUST EMBARRASSED. LIKE, WHO WANTS TO TELL 'EM, 'OH YEAH, BY THE WAY, I RAN OFF WITH SOME OTHER DUDE'? HAVING SEX WITH SOMEBODY DOESN'T MAKE YOU A MURDERER. TRUE. BUT YOUR LOVER'S STATEMENTS JUST MIGHT. DILLS CONTINUES TO BURY KIM, TELLING POLICE SHE HAD A MOTIVE. AND WORST OF ALL, OPPORTUNITY. DILLS TELLS COPS HE DROPPED KIM OFF BACK AT THE HOUSE MUCH EARLIER THAN KIM CLAIMED. HE SAYS HE KNOWS BECAUSE HE CHECKED THE CLOCK WHEN HE GOT HOME. LONG DIDN'T CALL 911 FOR HELP UNTIL 2:09 THAT MORNING, LEAVING UP TO 49 UNACCOUNTED MINUTES WITH OZZY, AND ACCORDING TO POLICE, GIVING HER AMPLE TIME TO COMMIT THE CRIME AND CLEAN HERSELF UP. AT THAT MOMENT, THE COPS ARE CONVINCED THEY HAD THEIR KILLER. DID KIM LONG EVER GIVE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR WHAT SHE MAY HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 50 MINUTES IN THE HOUSE? SHE ALWAYS DENIED THAT IT WAS THAT LONG. BUT IF KIM'S A KILLER, SHE'S A COOPERATIVE ONE,... RAISE YOUR ARMS LIKE THAT. ...AGREEING TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH TEST... MEANING ACCORDING TO THAT TECHNICIAN, THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE SHE'S LYING. THAT DOESN'T STOP THE COPS FROM PRESSING HER IN A FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW, DURING WHICH SHE BREAKS INTO HYSTERICS. KIM SCREAMS NO! NO! NO! ONE MONTH AFTER OZZY'S MURDER, A NOW STOIC KIM LONG FINDS HERSELF UNDER ARREST FOR BLUDGEONING TO DEATH A MAN WHO WAS ONE HER TEENAGE CRUSH. WHEN YOU REVIEWED THE POLICE REPORTS, DID ANYTHING STAND OUT? YEAH. WE WERE MISSING SOMETHING. I REMEMBERED, UH, GOING TO THE ATTORNEY AND SAYING THIS CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE THE WHOLE CASE. SOMEBODY DID IT, AND THE REAL PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CASE IS INVESTIGATORS AND THE DA DEVELOP TUNNEL VISION ON ONE SUSPECT. KIM'S DEFENCE TEAM INSISTS THAT KIM SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE ONLY SUSPECT. THAT'S BECAUSE OZZY CONDE MAY HAVE BEEN A GREAT GUY, BUT HE SURE HAD HIS SHARE OF ENEMIES. HERE'S ONE OF THEM. LIKE, DO YOU HATE THIS GUY? I GUESS, YES. MEET JOE BUGARSKI, KIM'S EX-HUSBAND, THE FATHER OF HER SON, THE MAN SHE DROPPED LIKE A BAD HABIT WHEN SHE GOT REACQUAINTED WITH OZZY. SHE KICKS YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE, BRINGS HIM IN TO LIVE WITH YOUR KIDS? RIGHT. WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, HE MOVES IN. KIM'S ATTORNEYS CLAIM THIS LAID-BACK CONSTRUCTION WORKER THEN BECAME AN OBSESSED CUCKOLD WHO STALKED KIM AFTER SHE DUMPED HIM, HIDING IN HER BUSHES, PEEPING IN HER WINDOWS. I WAS PRETTY PISSED. VERY UPSET. HOW WOULD ANY OTHER MAN FEEL? I'M LIKE, 'WHAT KIND OF GUY MOVES INTO SOME HOUSE AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN DIVORCED?' WELL, AND IF ANYBODY IN THE WORLD HAD A MOTIVE TO KILL THE MAN, IT'S YOU. RIGHT. I MEAN` I MEAN, I'M NOT THE VIOLENT TYPE TO THAT EXTENT TO KILL SOMEONE, BUT I DID NOT` I DIDN'T LIKE THE SITUATION. COULD JOE, KIM'S EX-HUSBAND, BE THE KILLER? 'NO WAY,' HE SAYS. HE WAS HOME THAT NIGHT WITH WITNESSES TO PROVE IT. BUT HE'S NOT THE ONLY SUSPECT KIM FLOATED. YOU HAD A THEORY OF WHO DID IT. YES. THAT YOU SAID DURING THE INTERROGATION. YEAH. THERE WAS ONLY PERSON THAT DIDN'T LIKE US. 'DIDN'T LIKE'? TRY 'BURNING HATRED.' DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO WOULD'VE DONE SOMETHIN' TO YOU? WHO? (MUFFLED SPEECH) SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THIS WOMAN. WE'VE AGREED TO CHANGE HER NAME; WE'RE CALLING HER CYNTHIA. KIM'S DEFENCE TEAM HAS DUBBED HER OZZY'S JEALOUS EX, A WOMAN SCORNED. AND SHE CALLS KIM... THAT WOMAN IS THE DEVIL'S CHILD HERSELF. DEVIL'S CHILD? DEVIL'S CHILD. THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. I KNOW SHE KILLED HIM. AND I KNOW SHE DOESN'T EVEN <BLEEP> CARE, AND IT MAKES ME SICK. CYNTHIA AND OZZY WERE TOGETHER FOR EIGHT YEARS. THEY RAISED TWO KIDS TOGETHER ` ONE THEIRS, ONE HERS FROM A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP. SHE SAYS THOSE WERE THE GOOD TIMES. HE LIKED TO SPEND TIME WITH HIS FAMILY A LOT. HE WAS A WONDERFUL FATHER. BUT WHEN KIM CAME ON THE SCENE, SHE SAYS THE SITUATION TURNED SOUR. MY SON HAD COME HOME, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE SAW KIMBERLY PUNCH OZZY IN THE FACE. THAT WAS NOT OK WITH ME. SO I STOPPED OZZY'S VISITATION. FROM THERE, THE DRAMA ONLY ESCALATED. SHE HAD JUST MADE OUR LIVES A LIVING HELL. WHAT'D SHE DO? SHE CALLED, SHE HARASSED, SHE THREATENED. UM, SHE WANTED MONEY FROM OZZY. UH, IT WAS A CONSTANT BATTLE. I MEAN, I` I` YEAH, I WASN'T HAPPY WITH HER. I WAS PRETTY PISSED OFF AT KIM. IN THE POLYGRAPH INTERVIEW AFTER THE MURDER, THE COPS WANNA KNOW IF HER HATRED FOR KIM EXTENDED TO OZZY. HAVE YOU EVER MADE ANY COMMENTS THAT, 'HEY, I WISH OZZY WAS DEAD'? I DID SAY THINGS LIKE THAT FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND, KIM. 'I JUST WISH I COULD KILL HER.' YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT ` KILL KIM. BUT WAS OZZY ALSO IN THE CROSSHAIRS? COMING UP, THE SPOTLIGHT TURNS TO OZZY'S EX, THE WOMAN KNOWN AS CYNTHIA. SHE'S ANGRY ENOUGH TO TAKE MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS. BUT HOW FAR WILL SHE GO? AND DOES HER HATRED OF LONG MEAN SHE COULD MURDER HER FORMER PARTNER? STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND THE 13-YEAR ORDEAL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAN NURSE AND MOTHER-OF-TWO, KIMBERLY LONG AS SHE GOES ON TRIAL FOR KILLING HER BOYFRIEND. AS HER LAST CHANCE CONTINUES, REPORTER MATT GUTMAN TURNS HIS FOCUS ON OZZY'S EX-GIRLFRIEND CYNTHIA. SHE WAS ANGRY AT THE PAIR. BUT IS THE ABUSIVE LETTER SHE WROTE TO LONG PROOF SHE'D COMMIT MURDER? JUST HOW FURIOUS WAS OZZY'S FORMER GIRLFRIEND CYNTHIA? WELL, FURIOUS ENOUGH THAT AFTER AN ARGUMENT WITH OZZY ON THE PHONE, SHE'D TAKEN MATTERS INTO HER OWN HANDS AND HEADED TO THEIR HOME, ARMED WITH A SHARPIE. AND YOU PUT GLUE IN THE DOOR TOO, RIGHT? I DID. MM-HM. SURE. THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS VERY FUNNY. MM. NOT FUNNY ON THEIR END, NO. BUT SHE'S NOT THROUGH. AFTER THAT EPISODE, SHE PENS THIS PROFANITY-LACED LETTER. READS: 'GIRL, I REALLY HOPE YOU LOVE THIS GUY EVEN THOUGH HE CHEATS ON YOU, 'BECAUSE I PROMISE WHEN I GET DONE WITH HIM, YOU'LL BE SUPPORTING HIS ASS FOREVER.' YOU WERE ANGRY. AFTER THAT LETTER, OZZY HAD HAD ENOUGH. HE FILED FOR A RESTRAINING ORDER, WHICH INCLUDED A CHILD CUSTODY REQUEST. THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING CYNTHIA TO TAKE IT WELL. WE HAD BATS BY THE DOOR. BASEBALL BATS BY THE DOOR? YEAH. WE WERE READY. DID ONE OF THOSE BATS BECOME THE MISSING MURDER WEAPON IN CYNTHIA'S HANDS? OZZY'S OWN FAMILY THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE. MAN: ...BROTHER WAS TELLING ME. LISTEN TO WHAT OZZY'S BROTHER TOLD COPS THE DAY HE WAS KILLED. SO, YOU DID NOT YOURSELF TAKE A BAT TO OZZY'S HEAD THAT NIGHT, NOR YOU'RE SAYING DID YOU HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS MURDER? I DIDN'T WANT OZZY DEAD. DID YOU WANT HER DEAD? NO. SHE'S NOT DEAD. WELL, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT SUCCEEDED. I DON'T WANT ANYBODY DEAD. SO WHODUNIT? CYNTHIA, THE BITTER EX-GIRLFRIEND? JOE, THE HUMILIATED HUSBAND? OR KIM, THE HARD-PARTYING NURSE AND THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BEEN CHARGED? IT FELL TO THE JURY IN JUDGE PATRICK MAJOR'S COURTROOM TO SORT IT ALL OUT. WERE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU WOULD GET OFF? YEAH. DID YOU THINK, 'THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE GONNA CONVICT ME'? ABSOLUTELY. WHAT GAVE YOU MOST CONFIDENCE? BECAUSE I WAS INNOCENT. BY THE TIME THE TRIAL BEGINS, THE PROSECUTION'S KEY WITNESS, BIKER JEFF DILLS, HAS DIED AT THE HELM OF HIS BELOVED HARLEY. BUT JUDGE MAGERS RULES HIS TESTIMONY FROM A PRE-TRIAL HEARING CAN BE READ TO THE JURY. THIS IS A CASE THAT LITERALLY HINGES ON THE TESTIMONY OF A GUY WHO ACTUALLY DIDN'T TESTIFY AT TRIAL. AND A MAN WHO'S DEAD. A MAN WHO HAD DIED BEFORE TRIAL. AND DESPITE THE DEFENCE'S ATTEMPTS TO CAST SUSPICION ON KIM'S EX-HUSBAND, JOE BUGARSKI, THE PROSECUTION CALLS ON HIM TO ESTABLISH THAT KIM HAD A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. WE DID HAVE SOME HEATED ARGUMENTS WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER THAT, UH, WEREN'T SO PLEASANT. I WENT TO BED THINKING, 'MAN, AFTER THAT ARGUMENT, AM I EVEN GONNA BE ALIVE WHEN I WAKE UP?' YOU KNOW? IT GOT PRETTY BAD. SO YOU OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE SHE COULD KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP? YEAH. YEAH. KIM TESTIFIES ON HER OWN BEHALF, WELL ENOUGH FOR THAT TRIAL TO END WITH A HUNG JURY ` NINE BELIEVED HER, BUT THREE DIDN'T. SO THE PROSECUTION COMES BACK A SECOND TIME, ONCE AGAIN BRINGING UP KIM'S LIES TO THE COPS, JEFF DILLS' TIMELINE, AND THE QUESTIONS ABOUT HER CLOTHING. WHAT` WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU GOT IN? I'D SEEN HIM ON THE COUCH. THIS TIME, KIM'S DEFENCE PIVOTS TO THE CYNTHIA THEORY. BUT IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE. FOR ONE THING, JURORS NEVER LEARN THAT THE RESULTS OF CYNTHIA'S POLYGRAPH WERE INCONCLUSIVE. REGARDING OZZY, DID YOU PLAN OR ARRANGE WITH ANYONE TO HAVE HIM KILLED? NO. AND THEN ON THE STAND, SHE SAYS SHE'S GOT AN ALIBI. SHE WAS ON A DATE THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER ` DINNER AND 90 MINUTES IN A ROOM AT THIS DAYS INN. THE MAN THAT I WAS WITH TESTIFIED IN COURT TO MY WHEREABOUTS. I WAS WITH HIM. I WAS WITH HIM UNTIL WELL OVER MIDNIGHT. IN THE END, JURORS REJECTED KIM'S LAWYERS' EFFORTS TO PIN OZZY'S MURDER ON CYNTHIA. INSTEAD, ON DECEMBER 31ST 2005,... MAN: THREE, TWO... ...AS THE BALL DROPPED ON 2006,... HAPPY 2006! ...THE GAVEL DROPPED ON KIM LONG. SHE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. SO, WHEN THEY SAID THAT, UH, I WAS FOUND GUILTY, (SIGHS) I HATE THAT IMAGE. I HAD TO GET IT RIGHT. I HAD TO GET IT RIGHT IN MY HEAD REAL QUICK. (SNIFFLES) YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA PUT HANDCUFFS ON ME. YOU GOTTA GET STOIC. YOU GOTTA GET STRONG. AT SENTENCING, JUDGE PATRICK MAGERS, WHO ALSO PRESIDED OVER HER FIRST TRIAL, DELIVERED TWO SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENTS. FIRST, SOMETHING THAT WOULD LEAVE EVEN COURTROOM VETERANS DUMBFOUNDED. WHAT'D THE JUDGE SAY? UH, BASICALLY THAT IF IT HAD BEEN A BENCH TRIAL, HE WOULD'VE FOUND HER NOT GUILTY, OR ACQUITTED HER. AND THEN ANOTHER STUNNER. SENTENCING CAME TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE, BUT ALLOWING HER TO REMAIN FREE ON BAIL DURING HER APPEAL. HE SAID, 'I'VE NEVER HAD A CASE LIKE KIMBERLY LONG,' AND THAT'S WHEN HE LET ME GO PENDING MY APPEAL. SO I WENT HOME. THE PROCESS TAKES YEARS. FINALLY, IN FEBRUARY 2009, THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT DENIES KIM'S FINAL APPEAL, AND SHE'S ORDERED TO TURN HERSELF IN. BUT NOTHING IN THIS CASE IS SIMPLE. ON THE DAY THAT KIM IS DUE TO REPORT INTO PRISON, SHE DISAPPEARS. HOW DO YOU TURN YOURSELF OVER TO A LIFE SENTENCE? 15 TO LIFE MEANS YOU'RE GOING AWAY FOR LIFE AND YOU'RE COMING OUT IN A PINE BOX. SO AFTER TWO COURT CASE AND FACED WITH SPENDING THE REST OF HER LIFE BEHIND BARS, KIMBERLY LONG DECIDES SHE JUST CAN'T DO IT. INSTEAD, SHE GOES ON THE RUN. SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WHEN 20/20 RETURNS. 1 WELCOME BACK TO 20/20. SO, AFTER TWO TRIALS, KIMBERLY LONG IS FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING HER BOYFRIEND OZZY CONDE. BUT AS 'HER LAST CHANCE' CONTINUES, IT SEEMS LONG CAN'T FACE THE IDEA OF SPENDING THE REST OF HER LIFE BEHIND BARS, SO INSTEAD, SHE DISAPPEARS. MATT GUTMAN TAKES UP THE STORY. IT'S TIME FOR KIM LONG TO GO TO PRISON. BUT INSTEAD, SHE'S GONE CAMPING. 10 DAYS LATER, SHE FINALLY SURFACES TO FACE THE MUSIC. WHY 10 DAYS LATE? HOW DO YOU DO IT? I DON'T KNOW. I'VE NEVER DONE IT. I KNOW. I` I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING. HOW DO YOU WALK AWAY FROM YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR MOM, YOUR DAD? SHE SWAPS THOSE JEANS AND BIKINI TOPS FOR PRISON BLUES, DOLING OUT LITTLE WHITE LIES TO HELP HER GRIEVING PARENTS, ROGER AND DARLENE, COPE. I ALWAYS REASSURED MY PARENTS I WAS OK, EVEN IF I WASN'T, COS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR CHILD'S NOT OK, YOU'RE NOT OK. RIGHT. SO I FAKED IT A LOT. WE SAW HER EVERY WEEKEND, SO SHE WOULD BE JUST SMILING, AND SHE ALWAYS, ALWAYS, AT THE END OF EACH VISIT, SHE'D SAY, 'MOM, I'M COMING HOME.' AND I SAID, 'I KNOW YOU ARE.' DID YOU ALWAYS BELIEVE HER, THOUGH? YES, YES, YES. BUT RIGHT AFTER SHE ARRIVES, SHE LOBS A LEGAL LONG SHOT. THE ONLY THING I DO REMEMBER WAS MAKING THAT FIRST PHONE CALL TO MY MOM AND ASKING HER IF THE CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT KNEW I WAS IN PRISON. THAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU SAID TO YOUR MOTHER IN YOUR FIRST CALL? 'DO THEY KNOW I'M HERE, AND ARE THEY COMING TO GET ME?' THE CALIFORNIA INNOCENCE PROJECT IS A CLINIC BASED OUT OF A CALIFORNIA WESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. ITS MISSION ` TO FREE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED INMATES WHILE TRAINING LAW STUDENTS. THIS IS OUR WAR ROOM. WE ARE DOWN IN THE TRENCHES. THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE MAKING PHONE CALLS, TRACKING DOWN WITNESSES, SO THIS IS WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS. ALISSA BJERKHOEL WAS JUST A LAW STUDENT WHEN SHE FIRST STARTED SHOVELLING THROUGH THE ENDLESS DOCUMENTS IN KIM'S CASE. YOU HAVE A JUDGE SAYING, 'I DON'T THINK THE EVIDENCE IS ENOUGH TO CONVICT.' SO THERE WERE ALL THESE INTERESTING FACTORS THAT KIND OF PUT UP A RED FLAG FOR US THAT THIS REALLY COULD BE A CASE FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTION. IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN I WOULD VISIT KIM, SHE WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT. SHE WAS` AND I DON'T KNOW HOW BETTER TO DESCRIBE THIS THAN JUST LIKE A` LIKE A CAGED ANIMAL TRYING TO GET OUT. ALISSA WOULD EVENTUALLY MAKE HER JOB HER MISSION. I TRACKED DOWN EVERY SINGLE LEAD I COULD COME UP WITH TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHO DID THIS CRIME, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS, PEOPLE WANNA KNOW 'WELL, IF SHE DIDN'T DO IT, THEN WHO DID?' ALISSA HOPED THE ANSWER MIGHT LIE AT THE TIP OF THIS CIGARETTE BUTT FOUND NEAR OZZY'S BODY. THE CIGARETTE BUTT REVEALED UNKNOWN MALE DNA. IT'S LIKELY MALE HISPANIC DNA. IT DOESN'T MATCH THE VICTIM. IT DOESN'T MATCH KIM. IT DOESN'T MATCH ANYONE THAT WE KNOW OF IN THIS CASE. LOOKS PROMISING, BUT ALISSA CAN'T ESTABLISH WHEN THAT BUTT WAS LEFT THERE ` COULD HAVE BEEN DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS BEFORE. AND SO I TRIED AS HARD AS I COULD TO FIND OUT WHO REALLY DID THIS AND NEVER COULD DEFINITIVELY SAY IT WAS ONE PERSON OR ANOTHER. BUT I DID, IN THAT PROCESS, GATHER ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT KIM DEFINITIVELY COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT. SHE STARTED WITH THE CORE OF THE PROSECUTION'S CASE, THE CREDIBILITY OF JEFF DILLS. REMEMBER, HE'S THE 'DEAD MAN TALKING', THE BIKER FRIEND KIM HOOKED UP WITH THAT FATEFUL NIGHT. A MAN WHO HAD DIED BEFORE TRIAL, A MAN WHO HAD NEVER BEEN CROSS-EXAMINED, THOROUGHLY, ABOUT THIS TIMELINE, ABOUT HOW MUCH HE DRANK, ABOUT HIS MOTIVATION TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM KIM BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID THE COPS WERE GONNA BLAME THE MURDER ON HIM. DILLS TOLD THE COPS HE DROPPED KIM OFF BETWEEN 1.20AM AND 1.30AM. THE 911 CALL CAME IN AT 2.09AM. PROSECUTORS ASSERTED THAT OZZY WAS KILLED DURING THAT WINDOW. BUT IN DEATH, OZZY'S BODY HELD CLUES WHICH MIGHT REFUTE THAT, DETAILS THAT SUGGEST HE MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED BEFORE KIM COULD HAVE GOTTEN THERE. WHEN PARAMEDICS ARRIVED, THEY ALREADY SAW SIGNS THAT THE BODY WAS DECOMPOSING? YEAH. WHICH MEANS HE WAS DEAD FOR HOW LONG? AT LEAST OVER AN HOUR. AT THE MINIMUM, OVER AN HOUR. AND NOBODY PUTS HER BACK AT HER HOUSE, THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, BEFORE 1.20. EXACTLY. BUT GET THIS ` NO TIME OF DEATH EXPERT WAS CALLED TO TESTIFY FOR THE DEFENCE. WHY IS THAT? IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, AN OVERSIGHT BY` BY THE DEFENCE TEAM AT THAT TIME. 'OVERSIGHT' IS BEING POLITE. ALISSA THOUGHT INEPT LAWYERING HAD DONE KIM IN AT EVERY TURN. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ISSUE OF HER CLOTHING. EXPERTS BELIEVE THE SCENE WAS SO BLOODY THE MURDERER WOULD HAVE BEEN SPATTERED WITH BLOOD. AT TRIAL, PROSECUTORS SUGGESTED KIM MAY HAVE CHANGED OUT OF BLOODY CLOTHING AND CLEANED UP. THAT'S WHY THERE WASN'T A SPECK OF BLOOD ON THOSE JEANS, SHIRT OR BELT. BUT ALISSA SAYS SHE CAN PROVE KIM NEVER CHANGED, BECAUSE JEFF DILLS TOLD THE COPS SHE WAS WEARING THAT SAME OUTFIT WHEN HE DROPPED HER OFF EARLIER THAT NIGHT. SHE WAS WEARING, UM,... A BLACK T-SHIRT THAT HAD SOME... DESIGNS ON. SHE WAS WEARING BLUE JEANS, KINDA LOW-RIDER BLUE JEANS. AND, UM, I THINK SHE HAD A BLACK BELT ON. HE DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S WEARING, AND IT MATCHES EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAS ON THAT NIGHT IN HER POLICE INTERROGATION VIDEOS THAT WERE COLLECTED BY THE POLICE THAT WERE EXAMINED FOR DNA. COMPILING EVIDENCE LIKE THAT TO PROVE KIM'S WRONGFUL CONVICTION WOULD TAKE YEARS FOR ALISSA TO BUILD, YEARS KIM WOULD NEVER GET BACK. WHAT DID YOU MISS MOST? EVERYTHING ` MY LIFE, MY KIDS, MY MOM AND DAD, BEING A NURSE, MY PATIENTS, GOING PLACES, THE DESERT. EVERYTHING. ICE, THE REFRIGERATOR. (CHUCKLES) YOU MISS EVERYTHING. OUTSIDE, THE INNOCENCE PROJECT STARTS MAKING NOISE, ORGANISING THIS MARCH ` 712 MILES FROM SAN DIEGO TO SACRAMENTO TO DRAW ATTENTION TO KIM'S CASE AND OTHERS LIKE IT. WE'RE DOING A 20-MILER TO CAMP PENDLETON. WE VISIT HER MANY TIMES. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BECAUSE I CAN'T BRING HER HOME. ALISSA'S FIRST EFFORTS GO NOWHERE, BUT THE LONG WALK TO FREEDOM EVENTUALLY LEADS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT. AND IN AUGUST 2015, HER MOTION FOR A NEW HEARING IS FINALLY ACCEPTED. WHEN I GOT THE ORDER WHICH SAYS, 'WE THINK YOUR CASE HAS MERIT,' I WAS ELATED. NEXT ` AFTER A LOST DECADE, HER 30S AND 40S STUCK IN LEGAL PURGATORY, JUDGEMENT DAY FOR KIM. SHE TAKES THE STAND. WHAT WILL SHE MAKE OF HER LAST CHANCE? WHEN 20/20 CONTINUES, WE'RE IN COURT AS LONG'S NEW LAWYERS BRING NEW EVIDENCE TO A NEW TRIAL IN A BID TO GET HER RELEASED FROM PRISON. AND THIS TIME, IT REALLY IS HER LAST CHANCE. 1 WELCOME BACK TO 20/20 AND THE STORY OF THE DECADE-LONG STRUGGLE OF CONVICTED MURDERER KIMBERLY LONG TO CLEAR HER NAME. AS MATT GUTMAN TAKES UP THE STORY, LONG REALLY HAS REACHED HER LAST CHANCE IN AN APPEAL COURT. BUT NOW SHE HAS A NEW LAWYER AND NEW EVIDENCE. THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER. ALISSA BJERKHOEL IS HEADED TO COURT FOR A FACEOFF WITH LADY JUSTICE. AFTER SEVEN YEARS, KIM LONG IS GETTING HER SHOT AT FREEDOM. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING GOING INTO IT? I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO WIN. I KNEW THE EVIDENCE WE HAD WAS POWERFUL. FAILURE NUMBER ONE. FAILURE TO CONSULT A TIME OF DEATH EXPERT AND PRESENT THAT DEFENCE. THIS TIME, NO JURY ` JUST JUDGE PATRICK MAGERS, WHO PRESIDED OVER KIM'S PREVIOUS TWO TRIALS. GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. AND TWO DESPERATE MOTHERS, PACKING THE COURT WITH EMOTION. KIM'S MOM IS CAUTIOUS BUT OPTIMISTIC. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, SO I BELIEVE SHE WILL COME HOME. THAT'S A GOOD VICTORY FOR JUSTICE. BUT OVER THE YEARS, OZZY'S FAMILY HAS CONVERTED ITS SUSPICIONS ABOUT CYNTHIA TO ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT KIM IS GUILTY. SOBS: SHE KILLED MY SON. THAT WAS MY SON. THAT WAS MY CHILD. I HAVE TO GO TO THE CEMETERY TO SEE HIM IN THE GROUND. NOW FOR THE THIRD TIME, KIM PUTS HER HAND ON THE BIBLE AND SWEARS TO TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH, SOMETHING KIM STRUGGLED WITH. WHAT LOST THIS CASE FOR THE DEFENDANT WAS HER CREDIBILITY. THE JURY DIDN'T BELIEVE HER. WOMAN: HOW ARE YOU DOING? > I'M GOOD. HAVE YOU EVER THREATENED TO KILL OZZY? > NO. DID HE EVER THREATEN TO KILL YOU? > NO. DID YOU KILL OZZY? > NO, I DID NOT KILL HIM. THE PROSECUTION FIRES STRAIGHT AT KIM'S ACHILLES HEEL ` HER INCONSISTENCIES. HER LIES ABOUT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HOOKING UP WITH JEFF DILLS. I TRY TO ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH. MAN: YOU TRY TO ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH, BUT YOU LIED TO THE POLICE ABOUT YOUR CONDUCT ABOUT MR DILLS? > THE` YEAH, THE SEXUAL CONDUCT. YES. BUT THE DEFENCE HAS AN ACE TO PLAY ` THAT NEW EVIDENCE ALISSA DISCOVERED ABOUT THE TIME OF OZZY'S DEATH AND THE PROOF THAT KIM NEVER CHANGED HER CLOTHES. THIS PRIMARILY COMES FROM THE JEFF DILLS INTERVIEW WHERE HE DESCRIBES WHAT MS LONG WAS WEARING. AND WHAT WERE YOU WEARING THAT DAY? I WAS WEARING LARGE SANDALS, UH, THAT MATCHED MY BLACK BELT. BLUE JEANS. UH, BLACK SHIRT WITH RINGLETS ON IT THAT MATCHED MY NECKLACE AND MY PURSE. AND THEN THE BOMBSHELL NO ONE SAW COMING ` THE PROSECUTION TORPEDOING ITS OWN CASE, BACKING AWAY FROM ITS CORE THEORY THAT KIM LONG DITCHED HER BLOODY CLOTHING AFTER KILLING OZZY. MAN: SHE NEVER HAD ANY BLOOD ON HER. I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE'S POSITION THAT SHE CHANGED HER CLOTHING. THE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE HERE THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF BEFORE. WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT SEEMS THAT THE PERRY MASON MOMENT DIDN'T COME THE DEFENCE ` IT CAME FROM THE PROSECUTION ITSELF. YEAH. IN THEIR CLOSING ARGUMENT CONCEDED THAT SHE DID NOT CHANGE HER CLOTHES. IF SHE DIDN'T HAVE BLOOD ON HER CLOTHES, THE ONLY REASONABLE INFERENCE IS THAT SHE DIDN'T DO IT. AFTER A SEVEN-YEAR QUEST TO BRING KIM HOME, ALISSA BJERKHOEL IS SO CLOSE, SHE CAN TASTE IT. I AM FEELING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW. WE'VE DONE A TON OF WORK ON THIS CASE, AND IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER AND WRAPPING UP TOMORROW. THE NEXT DAY IN A CROWDED COURTROOM, KIM HUGS THE INNOCENCE PROJECT LAWYERS AS SHE STILLS HERSELF FOR THE JUDGEMENT. IN THE MATTER OF KIMBERLY LONG... I WAS, LIKE, SQUEEZING KIM'S ARM OR HER LEG EVERY TIME THE JUDGE WOULD SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE. I THINK WE WERE BOTH SITTING THERE, SHAKING A LITTLE BIT. ALISSA TRANSLATING THE LEGALESE. WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, I REMEMBER KIM BEING A LITTLE CONFUSED AND LIKE, 'WAIT, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT HAPPENED?' THE JUDGE CONTINUES. THE JUDGEMENT OF CONVICTION IS VACATED AND A NEW TRIAL WILL BE ORDERED. YOU'RE THINKING, 'IS VACATED GOOD OR BAD?' YEAH, I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR IT. I JUST WAS WAITING FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS NEVER SAID. AND THEN THAT'S WHEN I WAS LIKE, 'WHAT IS HAPPENING?' I THINK EVEN THE JUDGE LAUGHED. I'M LIKE, 'WHAT JUST HAPPENED?' < YOU'RE GETTING A NEW TRIAL, MS LONG. OK. LIGHT CHEERING, LAUGHTER ALISSA, HANKY IN HAND, MAKES UP FOR ANY SHORTAGE OF EMOTION. HER ROOM IS READY. I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT, IN MY HEART, SHE WOULD COME HOME. EVERYTHING WE UNCOVERED DURING THE CASE POINTED TOWARDS HER INNOCENCE, AND THIS CASE ALSO DEMONSTRATES JUST A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AS A SMALL CROWD WAITS OUTSIDE WHILE KIM POSTS BAIL, AN INNOCENCE PROJECT INTERN HAS IRONICALLY BROUGHT A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. WE'RE WAITING FOR KIM TO GET OUT, SO WE GOT HER THESE SHOES AND... GOT HER THESE JEANS. (CHUCKLES) IT WAS WEIRD, BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT ME CLOTHES, AND THEY HAD BOUGHT ME HEELS. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY LEFT ME IN A HOLDING TANK FOR A WHILE, BECAUSE I HAD TO WALK BACK AND FORTH. BECAUSE YOU HADN'T WALKED IN HEELS IN YEARS. YES. YEAH. 10 HOURS AFTER HER MOMENT IN COURT, KIM WALKS OUT OF JAIL AND INTO THE ARMS OF HER PARENTS. I SAW MY MOM AND DAD THROUGH THE GLASS, AND I REMEMBER THE DOORS OPENED. (CHUCKLES) THE DOORS OPENED, AND I WENT OUT, AND, UH, NOBODY SAID ANYTHING. LIKE, NOBODY SAID ANYTHING. LIKE, I WAS LOOKIN' AT THEM, AND THEY WERE LOOKIN' AT ME. AND FINALLY, I JUST THREW MY HANDS IN THE AIR, AND I WAS ALL, 'I MADE IT!' WHOO! MADE IT! I MADE IT! APPLAUSE HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW? JUST, UH, A LOT OF EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW. I HAVE A LOT OF GRATITUDE. I'M VERY HUMBLED (SIGHS) BY THIS EXPERIENCE, VERY HUMBLED. BOTH LAUGH I CAN STARE AT YOU. WE ALL STARTED CRYING AND HUGGING, AND,... GOD, IT'S A GOOD FEELING. CYNTHIA, OZZY'S EX AND KIM'S ARCH-ENEMY, TAKES THE NEWS BADLY. IT WAS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE, A SLAP IN THE FACE. WHEN KIMBERLY WAS RELEASED AND MY SON SAW IT ON TELEVISION, HE CALLED ME, AND HE SAID, 'MOM,' HE WAS LIKE, 'PLEASE BE CAREFUL. SHE'S CRAZY. 'SHE KILLED MY DAD, AND I'M SCARED SHE'S GONNA DO SOMETHING TO YOU.' KIM'S EX-HUSBAND JOE BUGARSKI ISN'T SO SURE WHAT HE THINKS ANY MORE. MY MIND IS SO SCRAMBLED FROM OUR HISTORY THAT I'M THINKING SHE'S CAPABLE OF DOING IT. MAYBE SHE DIDN'T DO IT. MAYBE THE EVIDENCE DOESN'T POINT TO HER ACTUALLY DOING IT, EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK THAT SHE WAS CAPABLE OF IT. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. BUT THEN I THINK, 'WHO DID IT, THEN?' SO MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN, AND COMING UP, THE ONLY ONE THAT KIM REFUSES TO ANSWER. (SNIFFS) DON'T DO THAT. QUIETLY: I WON'T ANSWER THAT. OH, BABY! THERE'S NO PLAYBOOK ON WHAT TO DO ON YOUR SECOND DAY OUT OF PRISON, SO AFTER BEATING A WRONGFUL CONVICTION FOR MURDER, KIM LONG AND HER SUPPORTERS ARE CELEBRATING WITH A FREEDOM BREAKFAST. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE INTERNET. I'VE` OR WHAT DO YOU SAY? ONLINE? YEAH. (CHUCKLES) FACEBOOK? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT. SHE MAY NOT BE SOCIAL MEDIA-SAVVY, BUT SHE'S HAD NEARLY EIGHT YEARS TO DREAM OF RECONNECTING WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. EVERY DAY. I KNEW I WAS GOING HOME. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHEN. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS GONNA TAKE. SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME, 'I'M COMING HOME, MOM.' MM-HM. ASIDE FROM SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY, IT'S THE SIMPLE PLEASURES SHE MOST APPRECIATES. THERE'S NOBODY CHECKING ON ME EVERY HOUR WITH THE LIGHT IN MY EYES. TODAY, SHE HAS EIGHT YEARS OF SOBRIETY UNDER HER BELT. THAT'S NO SMALL UNDERTAKING FOR THE FORMER HELLRAISER WITH THE QUICK TEMPER AND A SOFT SPOT FOR HARD LIQUOR. IN SOME WAYS, I GUESS PRISON IS A GREAT PLACE TO SOBER UP, RIGHT? YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THE CHOICE. CAN YOU DRINK IN PRISON? ABSOLUTELY. EVERYTHING IS IN PRISON. SO EVEN IN PRISON, YOU HAD TO PRACTISE ABSTINENCE. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S A CHOICE, AND I CHOSE NOT TO DRINK AND NOT TO USE DRUGS IN PRISON. HEALTHY LIVING NOW REPLACING SOME OF THOSE OLD VICES. SOMETIMES, I COME OUT HERE A LITTLE NEGATIVE, AND I LEAVE IT ALL HERE. BUT SO MANY ARE HAUNTED BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WHOMEVER MURDERED OZZY IS STILL OUT THERE. ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES ABOUT THIS CASE ` WE MAY NEVER KNOW WHO KILLED THE VICTIM IN THIS CASE. KIM TRIES NOT TO THINK ABOUT OZZY TOO MUCH THESE DAYS. 13 YEARS LATER, THOSE WOUNDS ARE STILL RAW. IF OZZY COULD HEAR YOU NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO HIM? (SNIFFS) DON'T DO THAT. (SNIFFS) I WON'T ANSWER THAT. WHY WAS THAT SO HARD TO ANSWER? IT STILL HURTS TO KNOW THE LAST WORDS I SAID TO HIM WERE` THEY WEREN'T LOVING OR KIND, AND I NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING KIND TO HIM ` WILL DISTURB ME... FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. LONG SAID THE FIRST THING SHE DID AFTER HER RELEASE WAS REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING US ELECTIONS. BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE LAST OF THIS STORY. PROSECUTORS ARE APPEALING THE DECISION. THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THIS CASE WILL BE RETRIED. WE WILL, OF COURSE, LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. KIA ORA. NGA MIHI.