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A man who was wrongfully convicted of killing seven of his children is one step closer to justice tonight. James Richardson has been free since 1989, but his case is so old he does not qualify for money available to the wrongly convicted.

James Richardson spent 21 years in prison, five of them on death row for killing his seven children. He came within an hour of being executed for a crime he didn’t commit.

“I had nightmares and dreams and things wishing that I could just reach out and touch ’em again,” said Richardson. “Right now it’s so hard for me.”

Richardson was in the State Capitol Thursday where he was being honored by lawmakers.

“Something very bad happened in the history of the state of Florida,” said Rep. Dave Kerner (D-Palm Beach), “and we’re very happy to help him move on and have Florida turn the corner on that dark page in history.”

When Richardson’s innocence was proven and he was released in 1989, the state didn’t give him a dime.

“Thank God I’m free. Now I don’t have to worry about that problem no more. It’s all over,” Richardson said in an 1989 interview.

To this day, he doesn’t hold a grudge.

“I have no animosity,” Richardson said. “I want the people to know that I appreciate everything they do to help me continue on with my life.”

“The reason lawmakers have to act is because James Richardson’s case is so old, he isn’t covered by the statute that allows the wrongly convicted to be paid.”

Sponsor Dave Kerner says the legislation is about righting a wrong.

“He said it himself,” said Kerner. “There’s no amount of money in this world that’s gonna fix what happened to him. But at least it’s a form of recognition that we made a mistake.”

If signed by the Governor, Richardson will be eligible for 50 thousand dollars for each of the 21 years he was locked up as an innocent man.