Judge Frees ‘Hurricane’ Carter

NEWARK, N.J. — Rubin (Hurricane) Carter was released from prison today by a federal judge who rejected prosecutors’ claims that the former middleweight boxing contender remains a “violent, dangerous man” after nearly 20 years behind bars for a 1966 triple murder.

The 48-year-old Carter became a free man when U.S. District Judge H. Lee Sarokin granted a writ of habeas corpus, based on his ruling Thursday that Carter’s 1977 conviction was based on racism and concealed evidence.