How the hell did William Hurt get out of prison and become a general in that movie "Incredible Hulk"? - incredible hulk cakes to buy

In the 1981 Film "Holy Man" was the killing of Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner's) guilty husband Edmund Walker (Richard Crenna) and went to prison.

But in the 2008 film "The Incredible Hulk" a general and a daughter, 27 years later and eventually makes friends with The Incredible Hulk runds helmet after victory against the villainous mole.