A Dutch appeals court has acquitted a nurse who was once sentenced to life in prison for on charges of killing several patients, and prosecutors have apologized.

Lucy de Berk, now 49, served six and a half years in prison before an extraordinary review of her conviction — which had been upheld by the country's Supreme Court — led to a retrial. A key finding was that a statistician who testified the chances of her innocence were one in 342 million had gravely miscalculated.

The country's Attorney General Harm Brouwers said Wednesday he wishes to restore De Berk's reputation. He said the state is negotiating a financial settlement and in the future will not be so quick to rely on the opinions of outside experts.