Move Over Bob, There's A New Dillon In Town

(CNN) -- Prison-issued toilet paper is what musician William Michael Dillon used to write down most of his songs, including "Black Robes and Lawyers," which has just been released on iTunes.

"I was arrested for murder on August 26, 1981, for a crime I didn't commit," Dillon tells his audience as he starts strumming his guitar. "I was released on November 18, 2008. Thank you to the keepers of justice."

According to Dillon, justice prevailed when he was released from prison after 27 years. He is now on the Innocence Project of Florida's list of 13 prisoners exonerated by DNA evidence.

It was Dillon's life story and not his music that moved Grammy Award winning music producer Jim Tullio to invite Dillon to his Chicago studio to record the songs he wrote in prison.

Some interesting things to know include the fact that Dillon did not qualify for the $50k per year reimbursement, so he is starting over from scratch.  Second, Tullio is so impressed with Dillon that he is talking major production.  Third, the reason Dillon doesn't qualify for money to start over is because "When I was 19 years old I got caught with a Quaalude and a joint in my pocket with nine college kids coming from a bottle club at 4 o'clock in the morning," he says.  Still, after 27 years in prison, he can only be relieved by his release.  Maybe his story can bring him some artistic satisfaction and draw attention to a real problem we have in our prisons.  Once upon a time, the courts had limited tools in their possession.  That is not the case now.  Imagine, 27 years knowing you were innocent and suffering the punishment of the person who walked away free.  That's worth a little extra caution and research on behalf of the accused, and a reminder that we are innocent until proven guilty.