Jimmie Duncan, a Louisiana man who spent nearly 30 years on death row, was released on bail after his 1998 murder conviction was overturned earlier this year.

He had been accused of raping and drowning his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter, but new expert testimony found the forensic evidence used against him was scientifically invalid.

Judge Alvin Sharp ruled that the evidence now points to an accidental drowning and said the presumption of Duncan’s guilt is no longer strong.

Duncan’s attorneys argued that the court’s findings provide clear proof of his factual innocence, CBS News has reported.

His release marks a major step toward full exoneration after decades of wrongful imprisonment.