A man whose murder conviction was overturned 16 years after the killing of a Minneapolis high school student is speaking for the first time

A man whose conviction in the murder of a Minneapolis teenager 16 years ago was overturned spoke out for the first time Tuesday.

Edgar Barrientos-Quintana was found guilty in 2009, but earlier this year the Attorney General's Conviction Review Unit found compelling evidence of his innocence.

RELATED: Judge overturns murder conviction 16 years after killing of Minneapolis high school student

Barrientos-Quintana was released last week, but this is the first time he has shared the feeling of waiting for a life-changing moment like this.

As a free man, he says he never gave up hope.

“I just didn’t know when and that’s the problem. They know it’s going to happen, but the system is so slow,” Barrientos-Quintana said.

Barrientos-Quintana was serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of 18-year-old Roosevelt High School graduate Jesse Mickelson. A judge overturned the murder conviction in 2009 after finding that the defense attorney's account was flawed.

The judge added that the prosecution had failed to disclose crucial evidence. The judge also added that “the state’s case was weak.” And that a senior MPD investigator made some “false statements” that “could have influenced the verdict.”

That investigator, Thomas Gaiters, is now the department's deputy chief – MPD Chief Brian O'Hara shared the following statement with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

“I have found Assistant Chief Gaiters to be a deeply dedicated and humble public servant. He is extremely qualified to serve as Deputy Director of Community Trust and Engagement and I am grateful that he continues to serve our residents on a daily basis. He has my full support.”

MPD also said, “Chief O'Hara asked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to review the investigative files and the BCA agreed.”

A BCA spokesman confirmed that the state agency had agreed to review the case file.

As for the Mickelson murder case, District Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is in “discussions with law enforcement about whether further investigation would provide information that would be helpful to us.”

Mickelson's family supported the releases and said after the case that there was no way it could have been him.

“I hugged him tightly and apologized, even though he knows it's not my fault. He has lost many years as a result of the wrongful conviction and I just want to extend my deepest condolences to him,” said Tina Rosebear, Mickelson’s sister.

Minneapolis police released a statement expressing concern that the conviction was overturned based on a review of old evidence rather than new information.

MPD says they remain committed to holding Mickelson's killers accountable.