Embracing daughter Katie

Beverly Monroe  released from prison

Special welcome from her grandson

RICHMOND, VA, April 5 - Beverly Monroe has been released from prison a week after her murder conviction was overturned. Monroe walked out of the Pocahontas Correctional Unit just before 5pm, and into the arms of her family who have fought hard for her release. 

NBC12 was there and in an exclusive interview, Monroe said she didn't know she'd be free until the  opinion was handed down this afternoon. 

"I didn't know until we got the opinion. I was prepared for the worst," Beverly Monroe said. 

She says now that she is out of jail she will spend time with her family before the state brings her back to court to be re-tried for the murder of her boyfriend. 

   "I'm going to be able to hug my children and sit down with them  in a normal atmosphere and rejoice. And then I want to read (my grandson) a bedtime story. And I want to sit at my piano," she said. 
  
Her freedom came after a court battle for her release. A  week ago, her murder conviction was thrown out and a new trial was ordered. But the state wanted to keep her in prison during the re-trial. The decision, which set all this in motion, unfolded very quickly this afternoon at the federal courthouse.  It was a lot of hurry up and wait until finally the judge handed down the five page ruling setting a few terms for her to get out of jail and spelling out why he let her out in the first place. 

 After Judge Richard Williams overturned her 1992 conviction, he said in his ruling letting her out of jail doesn't hurt anyone, including prosecutors, if they decide to retry her for the 1992 death of Roger De La Burde. 

Monroe has a few conditions now that she's out: she can't apply for a passport and can't leave the Richmond area -- all terms her attorney says he's happy with. 

The Attorney General's office says they are disappointed by the judge's decision to let Monroe out, but they won't challenge it.  Instead, they want to focus on their appeal, which if this case is similar to others that go before the 4th circuit, it could take seven months.