Oscars 2017: 'Gary from Chicago' Served 22 Years In Prison And Came To See Oscars

Gary Alan Coe's life has never been as special as it turned in the last one week. Gary recently joined the Oscars 2017 live telecast with a group of tourists. He was lately released from prison, just two days before the telecast.

His appearance at the Oscars 2017 is so early as he is still listed as an inmate at one of the prisons in California. However, it is still very unclear as to what crimes have led to his sentence. As per Gary's public defender Karen Nash, he had been sentenced for stealing a perfume in 1997. A life sentence had been given, after which he had spent almost 20 years in prison.

As per certain rules and regulations in California, people convicted of multiple crimes can be put under harsh sentencing. However, there has been some relaxation after voters approved of a ballot measure.  Earlier this year, Gary won his case and was released on Friday, two days before the Oscars 2017, as reported in Chicago Tribune. According to the reports, Nash described him as a very special human being. She contended that she cannot discuss anything further about Gary, without prior permissions.

A person who contacted the Tribune on Monday purporting to be Coe said he was holding hands with his fiancée while walking on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday when he was asked by someone he thought worked with a tour bus company if he would like a free sightseeing tour. He said he had no idea one of the stops would be the Oscars 2017 when he boarded the bus with about a dozen other passengers, Mail Online reported.

It is also reported that this year's Oscars 2017 host Jimmy Kimmel had plans of getting him at his show on Monday. Later, the decision was taken to keep the show's content related to the Oscars and therefore, Coe didn't appear.