The credibility of his ballistics expert - the only one the attorney thought he could hire with the funds available - was discredited by the prosecutor due to the expert's physical limitations and lack of experience. His book is a harrowing masterpiece. Mr. Hinton wrote: Because the so called Fair Justice Actnow pending before the state legislatureputs time restrictions on how long death row prisoners have to prove their innocence or a wrongful conviction, this legislation increases the risk of executing innocent people and makes our system even less fair. Following his release, Hinton famously remarked, The sun do shine., Thirty years ago, the prosecution seemed deemed to take my life from me, he continued, according to an NPR report. How have you felt the cost of life's unfairness? "[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 attends "True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight For Equality" New York Screening at SVA Theater on June 24, 2019. Theres five things theyre going to convict you to, the officer told him. In 2020, all of the candidates he voted for were Democrats. And you know why? I said, No. He said, You got a white man. In April 2015, the state of Alabama dismissed all charges when state ballistics experts were unable to match the bullets to the handgun. What did I do? $200 per post at $10/CPM. But last year, the Supreme Court said that Mr. Hintons defense had been unacceptable, setting up a new trial and essentially forcing prosecutors to review the evidence for a case in which they acknowledged the forensic studies were paramount. Officers had retrieved a handgun from Mr. Hintons home and, after analyzing it and the recovered bullets, concluded that the shootings were tied. However, the number of members also gradually became smaller when book club members were executed. But as a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. The bill never even made it out of committee. What happened to make him stop accepting defeat and start fighting back? He organized a book club that was allowed to meet in the prison's law library. Cases like Anthony Ray Hintons give the public pause about the death penalty, said Robert Dunham, the centers executive director. Still, even though Stevenson had new ballistics tests performed on Hintons behalf, the Alabama courts denied the appeal, after taking two years to deliberate. Tim Smyth teaches 10th and 11th grade social studies at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pennsylvania. 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. (334) 269-1803 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]. You want to know why?, Number one, youre black. This is the state of Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat and we changed things through legislation and the vote. What was the turning point in prison for Hinton? In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital . I say it because they took 30 years from me.. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and wrongfully charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman were two of the most well-known abolitionists.. Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs were both able to free themselves from slavery. Anthony Ray Hinton Equal Justice Initiative. And number five, youre gonna have an all-white jury., Anthony fought to claim his innocence. Among the authors whom the prisoners read and discussed were James Baldwin and Harper Lee. Then in 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Rays case. Among their efforts for criminal justice reform, the non-profit provides legal aid to those whove been imprisoned unjustly. God made it possible for you to know. Mar 27, 2019 . The cop was right. 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. 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 . By Christina Gould, SAL Patron Services Manager. I have no respect for the prosecutors, the judges. 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. Authorities arrested Hinton in 1985, after a string of robberies at restaurants in Birmingham. Bryan Stevenson told media this is a textbook example of injustice.. Searching for Justice explores criminal justice reforms unfolding across the country, as the leaders from both sides of the political aisle attempt to end mass incarceration by rethinking laws that some say have become barriers to work, housing, and economic stability. Death Row Exonoree Wednesday, April 12, 2023 8pm. A Christian man was falsely convicted of murder for 30 years, but he spent his time sharing Jesus inside the cells. He has spoken out against the death penalty, calling it a "form of lynching. First, have students answer the following questions, either in class discussion or as written answers. According to Hinton, the officer who carried out his arrest said that he "didn't care whether I did it or not," guaranteeing he would be convicted. But the state court of Alabama refused to overturn his convictions or grant a new trial. And I say that not with malice in my heart. Hinton began his talk by explaining the context of his arrest, where he was charged with first-degree robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder. 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. To me this was a day of freedom dedicated to them, and all of the people who have been lynched, oppressed, or intimidated or disenfranchised from voting., From a symbolic perspective, it is deeply meaningful that Mr. Hinton voted today in Alabama, said Blair Bowie, legal counsel for the Campaign Legal Center, which focuses on voting rights restoration. [4] Hinton's book received extremely positive reviews. Police arrived at the house near Birmingham, Alabama, and arrested him for. Read this article and answer the following questions. He said to Hinton, "All of y'all blacks always say you didnt do something. The only evidence that the state ever had claimed, connected Mr. Hinton, did not exist.. Their forensics experts were unable to match crime-scene bullets to Hinton's mother's gun. Hear Marc Meros reflection on life inside the ring, what knocked him out and A woman is diagnosed with cancer and its spreading quickly. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. You dont know freedom until its taken from you, Hinton told The Washington Post on Tuesday night. No fingerprints or eyewitness testimony were introduced. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. "[16] Kirkus Reviews calls the book, "a heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story about truth, justice, and the need for criminal justice reform. It was there on a panel discussion, Reforming Criminal Justice in America . Hinton mug shot. Warm-up activity: Think, write, and share with a partner (virtual option create a Google doc or online discussion have students write their answers and respond to at least one other students answer). Hinton was sentenced to death and held on the state's death row for 28 years, and was later released in 2015. Despite pleas by Mr. Hintons lawyers, who cited conclusions by newly enlisted specialists, the state refused for years to reconsider the evidence. Woman In Wheelchair Miraculously Takes Off Running During A Revival Service In Megachurch Pastor Who Left Ministry For A Time Returns Refreshed, Renewed, The Whosoevers Ryan Ries Kill The Noise, Finland Is Ending Homelessness With This Ingenious Idea, Why Friendships Are Vital to a Healthy Spiritual Life, Another Campus Revival Breaks Out At Cedarville University. [emailprotected]. When Hinton was done eating, about half past six, he drove to the polling location where he would cast his first vote in a presidential election since he was released from Alabamas death row. But, Hinton was still convicted and sentenced to death. Anthonys mother and best friend also were crushed by the outcome. My only crime was being born black in Alabama, Hinton writes, his prosecution nothing less than a lynching in which the white robes of the Ku Klux Klan were replaced by the black robes of justice. But in order for me to be free, I had no choice but to pray for those men that did this to me. So, Ray made a decision. See Innocence and Race. In this lesson, students meet. Mr. Hinton, 29 then, was indigent, and the Supreme Court said last year that the lawyer appointed to represent him, Sheldon C. Perhacs, had mistakenly believed he had only $1,000 to hire an expert witness for the proceedings. The arresting officer told him chilling words he would never forget when authorities arrested him. Number two, a white man gonna say you shot him. 1. Despite Rays ironclad alibi for at least one of the robberies, and the lack of solid evidence, prosecutors pushed for a conviction. #ElectionDay #Vote2020 pic.twitter.com/J2eFOWnheD. Im going to bring the best out of everybody that come in touch with me, says Ray. Anthony Ray Hinton leaves the Jefferson County jail in Birmingham, Alabama in April 2015, after nearly 30 years on death row. Ray has a strong alibi for one of the incidents, and the supposed murder weapon, Ray's mom's gun, hasn't been fired in years, but the authorities refuse to consider this. Get more than a Sunday sermon. His lawyer writes: Never have more guards, correctional staff and prison workers pulled me aside to offer assistance during the many years I have worked with Ray. Anthony Ray Hinton found it easier to adjust than most people, when the pandemic first halted society a year ago, with its mandated lockdowns and widespread closures. Having spent 30 years on. 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. Hes also written a book about his journey of forgiveness and redemption, hoping his story will inspire change and healing. Hinton was convicted of each of the two murders and sentenced to death. (You will need to make a copy of the document to edit it.). Hinton hopes that will change, and his vote on Tuesday gave him hope that it will change soon. This was contested by another expert,a civil engineer with visual impairments hired by Hintons public defender. "[14] He completed a memoir entitled The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row (2018), and has given readings and talks around the country about the book and his experiences. Understanding The Holy Of Holies Inside The Temple. He has received no compensation. Join Washington Post senior critic-at-large Robin . 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. See her moment of surrender, and the miracle of life. [18] He had previously spoken to the students of the Class of 2019, six months after his release, in 2015. Number two, a white is gonna say you shot him whether you shot him or not.. three, youre going to have a white prosecutor. Hinton wasnt eligible to vote in the 2016 presidential election. That aint what He said. Mr. Hinton, during an interview in which he sometimes cried and buried his head in his hands, lashed out at the officials whose decisions he said had kept him wrongly imprisoned. Anthony Ray Hinton. His book is a harrowing masterpiece 'Let sleeping dogs lie': Lynching memorial angers some Anthony Ray Hinton. This lesson uses a video segment from PBS NewsHours Searching for Justice series. Anthony was a man who loved God and followed the example of Jesus Christ. He also works with the U.S. State Department in a global online exchange program teaching educators and students to use comics to find their voice and to solve pressing global issues.