A local woman won't be spending Christmas with her husband. That's because he's been locked up for 23-years for a crime he says he didn't commit.
Recently, a judge overturned his life sentence, but he still won't be home for the holidays.
Amiko Kensu, wife of Temujin Kensu says, "We talk to each other every day. I'm willing to bet that we probably talk more than any other married couple."
Amiko Kensu has been married to Temujin Kensu for the last ten years, but for the last 23-years. Temujin has been in prison.
Most recently, the Saginaw facility in Freeland.
"We have gone through 25 transfers," says Amiko.
A jury convicted him for the murder of a man in a college parking lot in Port Huron in the 1980's.
However, in Cctober of this year, a federal judge in Detroit overturned the ruling.
Amiko says the defense attorney did a poor job and that the prosecution misled the jury.
"Had the jury heard the truth and not been misled. He would have been found not guilty right from the get go," says Amiko.
Temujin says he was in the Upper Peninsula, 400 miles away, when the Port Huron killing happened and that several witnesses can vouch for him.
But now, he sits in prison because appeals are taking place on the overturning of the murder conviction.
"According to the law, he's not guilty, but he's still in prison," says Amiko.
Visitation for prisoners is allowed on holidays.
The state ruled Thursday and Friday are holidays, but not Saturday.
Amiko works in retail, meaning she can't see her husband Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. It's their first missed Christmas in more than 10-years.
Amiko has been interviewed by Dateline NBC.
She'll be interviewed again next year before her story airs nationally.
