Anthony Ray Hinton's wrongful conviction and time on death row is featured in the upcoming drama, Just Mercy. The film, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, follows attorney. Convicted, he was sentenced to death and held in solitary confinement on Alabamas death row for 28 years, before being exonerated. Adam Desiderio/ABC. I realized I was there because the wrong people were in office and I had a chance to begin to put men and women that are going to uphold the Constitution.. He was going to be convicted anyway. What happened to make him stop accepting defeat and start fighting back? He said, Number three, youre gonna have a white prosecutor. This is the state of Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat and we changed things through legislation and the vote. In 1985 he was convicted of the murders of two restaurant workers in Birmingham, Ala. Thirty years later . The books are still passed around from cell to cell, but the meetings in the prison library are over. Why me? In "True Justice" one of Mr. Stevenson's clients Anthony Ray Hinton discusses his arrest. State prosecutors never questioned the new findings but nonetheless refused to re-examine the case or concede error. [4] Hinton's book received extremely positive reviews. The cop was right. Stunned, 5. "[17], On May 19, 2019, Hinton spoke at St. Bonaventure University's commencement exercises and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Human Letters degree. Anthony Ray Hinton spent decades in jail for crimes he did not commit. Jesus didnt say, Hey, when an enemy come across you, I want you to hate him, says Ray. Deputies escort Mr. Hinton in the courthouse during his trial. Indifferent to these concerns, the Alabama legislature passed the new law this spring,making it more difficult to obtain adequate counsel and imposing more unfair filing requirements. Anthony Ray Hinton. He has received no compensation. Nominee for Best Memoir & Autobiography (2018) A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. What do you think can be done to change these racial disparities and to keep cases like that of Mr. Hinton from happening. FLORENCE -- Anthony Ray Hinton was mowing the grass outside the house he . At the same time, Republican lawmakers introduced the Fair Justice Act. As Mr. Hinton wrote in an op-ed, had the Fair Justice Act been in place when he was convicted, I would have been executed despite my innocence. Like other men and women sentenced to death in Alabama, where there is no state-funded office to provide counsel for postconviction proceedings,it took years to find volunteer lawyers willing and able to provide the legal assistance Mr. Hinton needed to prove his innocence. In this lesson, students meet. YOU HAVE 20,000 FOLLOWERS: $100 per post at a $5/CPM. No fingerprints or eyewitness testimony were introduced. By Christina Gould, SAL Patron Services Manager. BELTON Two Bell County men were indicted by a grand . He spent 30 years in prison until, with the help of. And so it was not until Friday at 9:30 a.m., one day after a Circuit Court judge ordered his release, that Mr. Hinton exited the jail to hugs, tears and wails of Thank you, Lord!, The State of Alabama let me down tremendously, Mr. Hinton said in his first interview after his release. Living the Christian life is a journey. He has become an inspirational speaker, traveling the country and the world. Can God change your life? Hinton mug shot. Since then, Hinton has been able to forgive everyone responsible for his imprisonment, because thats how my mother raised me and because I have a God who forgives. But it would all fall on deaf ears, including his court-appointed lawyer. Fourteen months later, the district attorney in Alabama finally abandoned the case, and Hinton went free. To be accused of murder, itto me, it-it dont get no worse than that, says Anthony. The gun belonged to his mother, but forensics experts hired by the state of Alabama claimed that it was the murder weapon. Hintons luck changed, however, when Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer with the Equal Justice Initiative, took on his case. I dont think the society nor the men that did this to me realized what they took from me, says Ray. If you could speak with anyone interviewed in the video, what are two questions you would ask them? Ala. In the summer of 1985 in Birmingham, Alabama, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested, tried, and convicted of the murders of two restaurant workers earlier that year; two crimes he was innocent of. Anthony Hinton, 29 years old with no history of violent crime, steadfastly maintained his innocence. As for Ray, the courts would continue to block his appeals for a retrial. [15] Writing for The Guardian, Tim Adams described the book as, "a story of forgiveness and struggle"[16] and concludes that, "his wonderful memoir recreates the ways he escaped from his cell in his head had tea with the Queen of England, married Halle Berry and how he shared that possibility with his fellow death row inmates. When the very people that you been taught to believe in the police, the D.A., these are the people that are supposed to stand for justice and when you know that they lied to you, its hard for you to have trust in anybody, he said. A year ago, almost to the day, I traveled to Montgomery, Alabama for the Equal Justice Initiative's unveiling of the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice.. You gonna have a white jury more than likely. And he said, All of that spell conviction, conviction, conviction. I said, Well, does it matter that I didnt do it? He said, Not to me. Hinton went on to explain how he felt about the racial bias in his case: I cant get over the fact that just because I was born black and someone that had the authority who happened to be white felt the need to send me to a cage and try to take my life for something that they knew that I didnt do. Bryan Stevenson, Hintons attorney and the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, joined Hinton for the interview, and spoke about the systemic issues surrounding the case. For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. Anthonys mother and best friend also were crushed by the outcome. If this is where God intends for me to be and die, this is where I die. 2. As my good friend Bryan Stevenson says, the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice but justice needs help., How I got 30 years on death row for someone else's crime, 'I went to death row for 28 years through no fault of my own', Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Hear Marc Meros reflection on life inside the ring, what knocked him out and A woman is diagnosed with cancer and its spreading quickly. Anthony Ray Hinton, an innocent man, spent 30 years on death row in Alabama because, he says, he was "black and poor." His name finally cleared, he now campaigns for justice -- which he says. Anthony Ray Hinton. He has also guest lectured at multiple universities and travels the country giving professional development on comics as engaging literature. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. I dont have a choice., Alabama Man Freed After Decades on Death Row, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/us/anthony-ray-hinton-alabama-prison-freed-murder.html. Gonna have a white D.A. Anthony, or Ray, still remembers the arresting officers chilling words There are five things that gonna convict you. Hinton was granted a new trial, and the charges were dismissed after prosecutors said that the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences determined that the bullets that killed the restaurant managers could not have been used with Hintons mothers gun. So I believe in the promise of hope alive, he said. And you know why? I said, No. He said, You got a white man. Ray still remembers one of their last conversations before Henrys execution in 1997. At the time of Mr. Hintons initial trial, his lawyer used a visually impaired civil engineer with little expertise in firearms to rebut prosecutors whose case hinged on linking the handgun found in Mr. Hintons home to a string of shootings in and around Birmingham. Ray would spend his time fighting not only a legal system that would block every one of his appeals, but the bitterness in his heart. Tim Smyth teaches 10th and 11th grade social studies at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pennsylvania. [4], The prosecution's only evidence at the trial was a statement that ballistics tests showed four crime scene bullets matched Hinton's mother's gun, which was discovered at her house during the investigation. (334) 269-1803 He left Notre Dame Law students with a challenge to serve justice. I said, Henry, I truly believe that you are going to Heaven, says Ray. 07.31.17. After a new round of analysis, prosecutors wrote, state experts found that they could not conclusively determine that any of the six bullets were or were not fired through the same firearm or that they were fired through the firearm recovered from the defendants home.. Smyth maintains a comprehensive website and blog on all things comics in education at TeachingWithComics.com. In this lesson, students meet Anthony Ray Hinton, one of hundreds of people who were exonerated, or had charges against him dropped after hed been convicted and sent to prison. Anthony Ray Hinton's story of being wrongfully convicted and serving almost thirty years on Death Row is one of gargantuan unfairness. And number five, youre gonna have an all-white jury.. On July 31, 1985, the police arrested Anthony Ray Hinton for murder. He was convicted of two murders in 1985. The Exoneration Project, American Constitution Society, Federalist Society, and Klau Center welcome Anthony Ray Hinton, an Alabama man who spent 30 years on death row for crimes he did not commit. The two Harriets were termed abolitionists because they wanted slavery to be abolished. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, and Justice, Rekindling the Power of God Within to Effect Change. Legislators Wont Compensate Innocent Man for 30 Years on Death Row. Anthony Ray Hinton was sentenced to death and held in solitary confinement for 28 years on Alabama's death row before he was exonerated in 2015. Winner of the 2019 Moore Prize Finalist, Dayton Peace Prize, 2019 "An amazing and heartwarming story, it restores our faith in the inherent goodness of humanity." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, and justice. In Alabama, he writes, judges are elected based on how many people they send to death row, not on how many people they let off., Hintons lawyer provides this ghastly statistic: With 34 executions and seven exonerations in Alabama since 1975, one innocent person has been identified on Alabamas death row for every five executions.. Rays mother, whod visited him almost every week since his incarceration, died in 2002. The civil engineer testified that the ballistics test did not link the gun authorities found to either of the shootings. On Tuesday, he cast a vote for president. Death Penalty Information Center | 1701 K Street NW Suite 205 Washington, DC 20006, Phone: 202-289-2275 | Email: [emailprotected], Privacy Policy | 2023 Death Penalty Information Center. Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn't commit. For more than 15 years, EJI attorneys repeatedly asked state officials to re-examine the evidence in this case, but former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber, and Attorneys General from Troy King to Luther Strange, all failed to do so. In 2018, Alabama residents who were previously convicted of felonies were able to register to vote under the Moral Turpitude Act of 2017. All of yall always doing something and the moment you get caught, you say you didnt do it. What do you do with that? asks Ray. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. I mean ONLY.. New York Times bestselling book by Anthony Ray Hinton. BY DEBORAH McKEON | TELEGRAM STAFF. First, have students answer the following questions, either in class discussion or as written answers. With the help of his co-author Lara Love Hardin, Hinton conveys all the horror of his years in solitary confinement, barely able to breath in 120F (49C) summer heat, eating food that tasted like dust. Founded by a lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, it had a track record of overturning unjust convictions and in winning a. And I say that not with malice in my heart. In April 2015, the state of Alabama dismissed all charges when state ballistics experts were unable to match the bullets to the handgun. The arresting officer told him chilling words he would never forget when authorities arrested him. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. You want to know why?, Number one, youre black. The students had been so inspired by his earlier address that over 100 of them submitted a petition to the university administration, asking that he be invited to speak at commencement.[19]. Have your students watch the video and answer the questions below. But, Hinton was still convicted and sentenced to death. Mr. Stevenson said it was unclear whether Mr. Hinton would ever receive any compensation from the state. An all-white jury sentenced him guilty of two counts of capital murder and to death by electric chair.. Anthony Ray Hinton Equal Justice Initiative. Anthony Ray Hinton, an inmate on Alabama's death row, asks us to decide whether the Alabama courts correctly applied Strickland to his case. Understanding The Holy Of Holies Inside The Temple. Hintons public defender was roundly criticized for his work hetried to appeal his case and routinely failed, according to The Guardian. [emailprotected]. Among the authors whom the prisoners read and discussed were James Baldwin and Harper Lee. (You will need to make a copy of the document to edit it.). But he was innocent. By Jennifer Edwards Staff Writer. An all-white jury would find Ray guilty of two counts of capital murder and sentence him to death by electric chair. Hinton declined to sign it. See her moment of surrender, and the miracle of life. Number two, a white man gonna say you shot him. At the time, Hinton worked at a supermarket warehouse and lived with his mother, Buhlar Hinton, at her home in rural Alabama, about half an hour north of Birmingham. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. In 2015, Hintons 30 years of unbroken prayers were answered and the nations highest court ruled unanimously in his favor. Mr. Hintons words were among the starkest reminders that, despite the joyous atmosphere surrounding his release, the case against him had spurred another reckoning for Alabama and a legal system that critics said appeared troubled by obstinacy and arrogance. On July 25, 1985, a restaurant in Bessemer was robbed and the manager was shot but not seriously wounded. Birmingham, Alabama, 1985. Plus, two long lost cousins Hooked on drugs before he was a teen, a meth addict has only one goal in life. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. What evidence was given? In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! EJI attorneys engaged three of the nations top firearms examiners who testified in 2002 that the revolver could not be matched to crime evidence. [5], In November 2014, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals closed Hinton's case. Soon after, prosecutors pushed for conviction upon him, and his appeal for innocence was defeated. One of those people was Henry Hays, a KKK member on death row for lynching a Black teenager. What was the turning point in prison for Hinton? The reality is much worse as doctors find a large brain tumor behind Hes known as Johnny B. Badd from the World Wrestling Federation. He must do exactly what he said he would do. Read this article and answer the following questions. American activist, writer, and author (born 1956), List of wrongful convictions in the United States, "Anthony Ray Hinton Spent Almost 30 Years on Death Row. When he was 29 . Being locked up for 30 years made me realize how important the vote was, He added. On Sunday, January 10, 60 Minutes aired an interview with Anthony Ray Hinton, who was exonerated on April 3, 2015 after spending nearly 30 years on Alabamas death row. The 64-year-old, whose story was featured in the HBO documentary film True Justice, is one of thousands of formerly incarcerated Americans who are casting ballots amid a new movement to restore their reentry into society and a reckoning on criminal justice and racism in America. EJI lawyer Charlotte Morrison explains. One of the longest serving death row prisoners in Alabama history and among the longest serving condemned prisoners to be freed after presenting evidence of innocence, Mr. Hinton was the 152nd person exonerated from death row since 1983. On February 23, 1985, 49-year-old John Davidson, the assistant manager of Mrs. Winner's fried chicken restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama, was fatally shot in an after-hours robbery. And number five, youre gonna have an all-white jury., Anthony fought to claim his innocence. Anthony Ray Hinton leaves the Jefferson County jail in Birmingham, Alabama in April 2015, after nearly 30 years on death row. We have a system that is compromised by racial bias, and his case proves it., Weve gotten into a culture, he said in a separate interview, where the pressure to convict and to achieve these outcomes is so great that owning up to mistakes is less frequent than youd like to imagine.. This has nothing to do with luck. Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! In 1985 Hinton was charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of two fast-food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Ala., with the charges hinging on a revolver that had belonged to his mother. On parole for petty theft, the 29-year-old was living with his mom and working as a day laborer. Twelve years after the new ballistics tests were ignored by an appeals court in 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court finally overturned Hintons conviction and granted him a new trial, at which point a new judge promptly dismissed the charges, according to a release from the Equal Justice Initiative. I was released from death row. SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. If you think there is no reason for another book about a grave miscarriage of American justice, think again. When he was arrested the police officer told him that he would have a white judge, a white jury and a white man was going to testify that Mr. Hinton killed a man. Number two, a white is gonna say you shot him whether you shot him or not.. three, youre going to have a white prosecutor. He woke up at 5 a.m., showered, brewed himself some coffee and, not knowing how long he would have to wait, made himself breakfast that would stick to his ribs. Students will examine the challenges faced by individuals wrongfully convicted of felonies. He told a gathering of family and supporters that "the sun does shine." Hinton, 59, wiped . But for all yall thats snapping the cameras, I want you to know there is a God.. Mr. Hintons application was approved by the committee, and this session,State Senator Paul Bussman sponsored a bill to appropriate the funds to compensateMr. Hinton. I truly believe God sent me to death row to meet Henry Francis Hays, says Ray. Mr. Hinton spent 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. What do you notice about the racial differences of incarceration in the United States. The lesson asks students to consider what it would be like to be convicted of a crime you didnt commit, or be a family member of someone convicted of a crime even though they are innocent. They began, he said, with his arrest in one shooting that occurred while witnesses said he was at work miles away. According to what we discussed this year the Now a Community Educator with EJI, Ray is doing what he can to bring reform to the justice system. In recent days leading up to the vote, Hinton had been thinking more about his grandparents and his parents, who he said werent allowed to vote because of voter suppression such as literacy tests, polls taxes and intimidation. He also wrote a book about his time in prison called The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, which has since been selected for . Feb 24, 2017 Updated Feb 24, 2017. Here's his story. How have you felt the cost of life's unfairness? And Henry said, Well, you know, Ray, Ive been reading the Bible. He . Since his release, Hinton has spoken in various venues about the injustices of the Alabama judicial system and other issues related to his conviction and imprisonment. Then he found hope in sharing Christ during his nearly 30 years on death row. This was contested by another expert,a civil engineer with visual impairments hired by Hintons public defender. [12] On April 1, 2015 the Jefferson County district attorneys office moved to drop the case. [emailprotected]. This article was published more than2 years ago. Anthony hated the men who did it to him. This lesson is part of NewsHours Searching for Justice series on criminal justice reform. The evidence against Hinton was scant: There were no fingerprints at the scenes and no witnesses who placed him there, according to the outlet.
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