Woman released from prison early due to COVID-19 after serving almost 24 years

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Patricia Wright is thrilled to be surrounded by her family, catching up on years of lost time with her five children. They were very young when she was sent to prison.

"I prayed. I had faith that it was gonna happen one day."

Wright was released from prison earlier this week after serving nearly 24 years of a life sentence.

The 69-year-old was convicted of hiring a man to kill her husband in 1981. Wright says she had nothing to do with the murder.

"I didn't want to die in prison."

Wright has terminal cancer.

"After battling breast cancer and then brain tumor, and then ovarian cancer, my ovarian cancer metastasized to my liver," she said.

With COVID-19 spreading among prison inmates, an advocacy group, The California Coalition for Women Prisoners, started working to get Wright released.

"With the COVID-19, I just knew that I was not gonna make it this time."

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency order setting her free.

"I'm 42 years old and I'm just now getting a chance to actually see her and be with her. It's a gift from God," said Wright's son Quincey Scott.

Wright is getting to know her eight grandchildren but she worries about the health of friends who are still behind bars.

"They're so ill, they're still there. I just pray that Gov. Gavin Newsom will have compassion, as he did for me, and consider their release as well."

Advocates continue fighting to get older and medically at-risk inmates early release from prison.