Thankful holiday for Arizona inmate

Doyle Williams granted clemency one day before Thanksgiving

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KSWT, KECY) - An Arizona inmate who spent the last 50-years in prison is feeling especially thankful this holiday.

Governor Dough Ducey granted Doyle Williams clemency on Wednesday. Ducey reduced Williams' sentence from "indeterminate life" to 45-years to life.

Williams will remain imprisoned until a formal parole hearing.

The Arizona Justice Project hopes that hearing will be held as soon as next month.

A jury convicted Williams of murder in 1969. His co-defendant pleaded guilty and served just three-years of a 10-year sentence.

The Justice Project says it's been working on Williams' case for 20-years, scouring records and searching for new evidence.

The Arizona Board of Executive Clemency says it recommended Williams because of his time served and his record of good behavior.