That aint what He said. Anthony Ray Hinton was released from prison in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday. They had every intention of executing me for something I didn't do. But then, soon, he realized he became the person his mother didnt raise him to be. In the first two robberies, the managers were killed and there were no witnesses or physical evidence . Mr. Hintons release from the Jefferson County jail, where he was being held awaiting a new trial that was ordered last year, came close to three decades after a court-appointed lawyer mounted such a feeble defense that the United States Supreme Court ruled it was constitutionally deficient.. Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. Despite the new evidence, the courts still refused to reopen Rays case. I was released from death row. Have students write a personal response summarizing the video How do you feel after seeing Hintons struggle with the criminal justice system? In 1985, Hinton was arrested and charged with two capital murders based solely on the assertion that a dusty revolver taken from his mother's home was the gun used in both murders and in a third uncharged crime. On parole for petty theft, the 29-year-old was living with his mom and working as a day laborer. He was convicted of two murders in 1985. SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. Anthony Ray Hinton's story of being wrongfully convicted and serving almost thirty years on Death Row is one of gargantuan unfairness. [emailprotected]. by Anthony Ray Hinton with Lara Love Hardin The Sun Does Shine is a powerful examination of both our flawed justice system and of one man's personal resilience and faith. After 28 years of living in a cell that was five . 0. [11] Hinton's original defense lawyer had wrongly thought he had only $1,000 available to hire a ballistics expert to rebut the states case on evidence. (334) 269-1803 The police turned up one day while Hinton, then 29, was mowing his mother's lawn; they. Then in 1998, the Equal Justice Initiative, or EJI, decided to take Rays case. Anthony Ray Hinton (born June 1, 1956) is an American activist, writer, and author who was wrongly convicted of the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama. Hinton spent 28 years on death row for two robbery-murders in the Birmingham, Ala., area in the mid-1980s. [3][4], In June 1988, the unanimous Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Hinton's conviction and death sentence. 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. One of those people was Henry Hays, a KKK member on death row for lynching a Black teenager. He was convicted because hes poor, Mr. Stevenson said. "To be accused of murder, itto me, it-it don't get no worse than that," says Anthony. Because he was convicted of something, he didnt even do. Anthony Ray Hinton Exonerated After 30 Years on Death Row. [3], In February 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States vacated the state court conviction in a unanimous per curiam decision. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, and Justice, Rekindling the Power of God Within to Effect Change. Despite pleas by Mr. Hintons lawyers, who cited conclusions by newly enlisted specialists, the state refused for years to reconsider the evidence. If this is where God intends for me to be and die, this is where I die. We are here to help and encourage you! In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. He has also guest lectured at multiple universities and travels the country giving professional development on comics as engaging literature. Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, has proposed legislation to grant Anthony Ray Hinton $1.5 million over three years. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. God made it possible for you to know. 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. Wrongly convicted, he was on death row for decades. 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. Authorities arrested Hinton in 1985, after a string of robberies at restaurants in Birmingham. 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. . Stunned, No one knows the hardship created by our inefficient system more than I do, Mr. Hinton wrote. Alabama 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 Alabama 's death row. Despite providing a solid alibi, Anthony Ray Hinton was still sentenced to death by the state of Alabama. After a few years, the club grew as the news spread quickly in the prison that reading was a good escape. Hear Marc Meros reflection on life inside the ring, what knocked him out and A woman is diagnosed with cancer and its spreading quickly. This has everything to do with the way we treat those who are vulnerable in our criminal justice system.. "Number one, you're black. This is the state of Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat and we changed things through legislation and the vote. Hintonstarted a book club while he was incarcerated, and went on to write a memoir about his experience, called, The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. Since its publication in 2018, the book has been widely praised, with Oprah Winfrey selecting it for her official book club last June and applauding Hinton in a string of interviews, according to CBS This Morning. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. 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. It hurts so bad, says Ray. The 29-year-old found himself helpless and questioned God what he did so wrong for it to happen to him. When Hinton convinces the prison warden about halfway through his three decades of imprisonment to allow him to receive books besides the Bible so that he can form a book club, the reader shares the exhilaration of Hinton and half a dozen of his fellow prisoners as they are finally able to travel outside the walls of the prison, through the words of James Baldwin and Harper Lee. A woman suspects a stroke as her eyes twitch and she experiences slurred speech. All the while, Mr. Hinton remained at a prison in south Alabama, awaiting his execution. 2. Number two, a white man gonna say you shot him. Download the free myCBN app. 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 . Hinton was 29 when was convicted and sentenced to die in the state's electric chair. Hinton was assigned an incompetent lawyer who was paid $1,000 by the state and then proceeded to hire an incompetent ballistics expert who guaranteed his conviction on fake evidence. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and wrongfully charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. And youre going to take the rap. [4], Additionally, Hintons boss testified that Hinton was working at the time of the incident, and that he was cleaning the supermarket; despite this, the jury still convicted him. Four, youre gonna have a white judge. [8] In June 1989, that judgment was affirmed by the unanimous Supreme Court of Alabama. 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. See her moment of surrender, and the miracle of life. Some 300,000 Alabamians had completed sentences but still didnt have the ballot, according to the Sentencing Project, a nonprofit group working to create more fairness in the criminal justice system. Discover God's peace now. On July 31, 1985, the police arrested Anthony Ray Hinton for murder. . 3. On Friday, Mr. Hinton was presented with some of the modern conveniences that emerged during his decades in prison, including an iPhone. His claims of innocence would fall on deaf ears, including those of his court-appointed lawyer. Ray had a message, and he taught that message to his neighbor Henry, though they only had one thing in common. During their unlikely friendship, Ray saw God change Henry from a man full of hatred, to one who knew Gods love and had found redemption in Jesus Christ. Have students pair/share with a partner. 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. Hinton was convicted of each of the two murders and sentenced to death. Anthonys mother and best friend also were crushed by the outcome. official, to review the forensic evidence. Cases like Anthony Ray Hintons give the public pause about the death penalty, said Robert Dunham, the centers executive director. He must do exactly what he said he would do. 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. In his book, The Awe of God, pastor and author, John Bevere describes the many ways having a genuine and holy fear of God enhances the good in one A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. Subjects: U.S. History, U.S. Government & Civics, Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Estimated time: One or two 50-minute class periods. In 2003, for instance, the Alabama attorney general said, The experts did not prove Mr. Hintons innocence, and the state does not doubt his guilt.. 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. It took almost a decade for Mr. Hinton and his lawyers to recruit a panel of experts, including a former F.B.I. Why was it important for a white ballistics expert to be hired? He was going to be convicted anyway. So Ive got to forgive. As for Ray, the courts would continue to block his appeals for a retrial. Deputies escort Mr. Hinton in the courthouse during his trial. We have a system that treats you better if youre rich and guilty than if youre poor and innocent, and his case proves it. He talked about his wrongful conviction, his decades in prison, and the lingering effects he has experienced after leaving prison. Though a 29-year-old Anthony Hinton was working at a locked warehouse 15 miles away at the time of the second crime, and although there were no eyewitness accounts of the first incident, he was arrested one evening while cutting the grass outside of his mother's house . [4] Hinton was portrayed by O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the 2019 film Just Mercy. Although he spent nearly three decades on death row and solitary confinement for a crime that he didnt commit, Hinton said he still feels a kinship with returning citizens whose ballots represent another step in the direction of freedom and contributing to society as a free citizen of the United States. The New York Times bestseller and Oprah's Book Club 2018 Selection. What are the mistakes in the case against Mr. Hinton? What evidence was given? In 1985, two Birmingham area fast-food restaurants were robbed and the managers, John Davidson and Thomas Wayne Vason, were fatally shot. This article was published more than2 years ago. As she desperately prays for healing, hear the message she receives from God on todays A woman receives an answer to a prayer she never wanted to pray. Prosecutors dropped the case against Anthony Ray Hinton, 58, when new . [citation needed] Hinton's mother died in 2002. St. Bonaventure University in New York awarded Hinton an honorary doctorate degree in May. I couldnt vote at one time in the state of Alabama, you couldnt marry outside of your race, you had to go to the back to get something to eat. By Christina Gould, SAL Patron Services Manager. The arresting officer told him chilling words he would never forget when authorities arrested him. Anthony Ray Hinton (born June 1, 1956) is an American activist, writer, and author who was wrongly convicted of the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama. And you know why? I said, No. He said, You got a white man. After 12 more years of litigation, theU.S. Supreme Court reversedthe lower courts, and a new trial was granted. I dont think the society nor the men that did this to me realized what they took from me, says Ray. By AFP Reporters Alabaman Anthony Ray Hinton, an African American spent 30 years on death row because, he says, he was "black and poor." His name finally cleared in Alabama, he now campaigns for justice which he says can only be achieved by beating Donald Trump at the ballot box. Committed Christian Anthony Ray Hinton doesn't use the word "hell" lightly; nevertheless, that's what three decades of solitary confinement in William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama, was like, he says. Ask students: What would you do if you or a loved one was arrested for a crime they did not commit? I truly believe God sent me to death row to meet Henry Francis Hays, says Ray. Anthony Ray Hinton spent decades in jail for crimes he did not commit. 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. Hinton spent 30 years on Alabama's death row for crimes he didn't commit. [4], After Hinton's arrest, his public defense attorney did not provide adequate counsel. On July 25, 1985, a restaurant in Bessemer was robbed and the manager was shot but not seriously wounded. 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. Published: Apr. So I believe in the promise of hope alive, he said. An Alabama man has been freed after spending nearly 30 years on death row. Fourteen months later, the district attorney in Alabama finally abandoned the case, and Hinton went free. If you could speak with anyone interviewed in the video, what are two questions you would ask them? Anthony Ray Hinton did not sleep very well the night before Tuesdays presidential election. Anthony Hinton, 29 years old with no history of violent crime, steadfastly maintained his innocence. Click here for more stories in the series and watch for more NewsHour EXTRA lesson content based on Searching for Justice stories. Students will look at the ways race and other factors play a role in wrongful convictions. 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. Anthony Ray Hinton was a man wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit back in the year 1985 and what happened was that two fast food restaurants in Birmingham Alabama were robbed and both Mangers were shot dead named Thomas Vason and John Davidson and on a later date of July 25th on the same year another restaurant was robbed in Bessemer Anthony, or Ray, still remembers the arresting officer's chilling words. Number one, youre black. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Mr. Hinton is the 152nd person exonerated from an American death row since 1973. Anthony Ray Hinton is an American activist, writer, and author who was wrongly convicted of the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama. Jesus didnt say, Hey, when an enemy come across you, I want you to hate him, says Ray. 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). Anthony hated the men who did it to him. Number one, youre Black. One of his arresting officers explained his fate this way, after the prisoner told him he could prove he had been working at the time of one of the murders: You know, I dont even care whether you did or didnt do it In fact, I believe you didnt do it. Only by the grace of God, says Ray. Discuss as an entire class. He said to Hinton, "All of y'all blacks always say you didnt do something. Anthony was a man who loved God and followed the example of Jesus Christ. But that isnt what makes this a genuine spiritual experience: that comes from the nearly biblical capacity of the author to endure, to forgive, and finally to triumph. The sun does shine, he said as he was embraced by family and friends. Ray stayed on death row until the US Supreme Court overturned his sentence in 2015nearly thirty years later. How the case against him unraveled", "Alabama death row inmate freed after 30 years", "Book Marks reviews of The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton, co-written with Lara Love Hardin", "The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton with Lara Love Hardin review", "Death row survivor returns to address #Bonas seniors", "Death row survivor Anthony Ray Hinton to keynote Bona's 159th Commencement", "They Couldnt Take My Soul": Anthony Ray Hinton on His Exoneration After 30 Years on Death Row, "How to Survive Death Row: Anthony Ray Hinton served 30 years in prison for murders he didn't commit. Hinton (portrayed in the movie by O'Shea Jackson Jr.) was arrested and convicted in Alabama in 1985 for the murders of two fast food restaurant managers who worked at different places, and who were killed months apart that year, NBC News reports. What do you think can be done to change these racial disparities and to keep cases like that of Mr. Hinton from happening. Ray still remembers one of their last conversations before Henrys execution in 1997. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Moving forward, he chose to pray for those men who set him up instead. [2] Hinton was sentenced to death and held on the state's death row for 28 years before his 2015 release.[2][3][4][5][6]. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Anthony Hinton (left) with attorney Bryan Stevenson following a hearing at which EJI argued all charges against Mr. Hinton must be dismissed immediately. I mean ONLY.. What did I do? Hinton declined to sign it. (What were the five reasons given by the white police officer that guaranteed Mr. Hintons supposed guilt?) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. 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. "[16] Kirkus Reviews calls the book, "a heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story about truth, justice, and the need for criminal justice reform. Explore Anthony Ray Hinton Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Wife, Family relation. See Innocence and Race. The bill never even made it out of committee. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. EJI attorneys engaged three of the nations top firearms examiners who testified in 2002 that the revolver could not be matched to crime evidence. Despite Rays ironclad alibi for at least one of the robberies, and the lack of solid evidence, prosecutors pushed for a conviction. [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. As it concerns Alabama, however, a representative from the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama said that Hinton has yet to receive an official apology or any restitution due him from the state of Alabama. Then Anthony spent the first three years in the prison full of bitterness in his heart. But while Im here, everything around me gonna live. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. 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. Theres five things theyre going to convict you to, the officer told him. 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. And I have changed my views on so many things. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. [emailprotected]. 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. He went on tospend 28 years on death row 30 yearsin all, without his freedom. [4] Finally, Hinton was the last prisoner left on death row. 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. Managers John Davidson and Thomas. Ive always felt that I have the Supreme Lawyer, says Ray. That paid for the experts who got it wrong. All rights reserved. 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. Anthony, or Ray, still remembers the arresting officers chilling words There are five things that gonna convict you. Death Row Exonoree Wednesday, April 12, 2023 8pm. Hinton also had an alibi he was employedata warehouse at the time of the murders, and his boss said on the stand that Hinton was at work at the time of at least one of the murders, The Guardian reports. Hinton's case was taken up by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. Then he found hope in sharing Christ during his nearly 30 years on death row. Get daily or weekly highlights from The 700 Club delivered to your inbox. By making the state postconviction process even more complicated and arbitrary, the law increases the likelihood that clients on death row will not receive full and fair review of their cases. For Ray, it was a bittersweet moment. The judge finally dismissed the charges after prosecutors said that scientists at the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences tested the evidence and confirmed that the crime bullets cannot be matched to the Hinton weapon. Disclamer: the number about Anthony Ray Hinton's Instagram salary income and Anthony Ray Hinton's Instagram net worth are just estimation based on publicly available information about Instagram's monetization programs, it is by . But it doesnt matter. 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. "[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. 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. "Real Love had no Color" - Falsely Convicted Black Man Encounters Jesus on Death Row, Falsely Convicted Of Murder, Man Spends 30 Years In Prison Sharing Jesus, Bob Marley Turned To Christ Before His Death Professing, Jesus Take Me, Jewish Woman Hears Gods Voice While Being Revived, Youre Not Dying Here. 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. What did Hinton say were the five reasons given by the police officer that guaranteed his conviction? Executions are carried out in the name of the people of Alabama and we should all be concerned if we make oursystem less reliable and the execution of innocent people more likely. 24, 2019, 2:11 p.m. Anthony Ray Hinton, who spent nearly 30 years on Alabama's death row, was freed this morning after prosecutors told a judge they won't re-try him for the 1985 . $140 per post at $7/CPM. Ray began to realize the person he had become wasnt the one his mother had raised him to bea man who loved God and followed the example of Jesus Christ. You dont know freedom until its taken from you, Hinton told The Washington Post on Tuesday night. Hinton hopes that will change, and his vote on Tuesday gave him hope that it will change soon. 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.. During his decades in prison, he was supported by his mother's faith in his innocence, as well as that of a longtime friend, Lester Bailey, who visited him monthly. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. The lecture began with Hinton recounting the day of his arrest in extreme detail. For your mom not to be here the day that you are released, to run into her arms and say, Im home, Mom isI try my best to be the son that she brought me up to be, says Ray. His book is a harrowing masterpiece. Mr. Perhacss choice a man later described by a prosecutor as a one-eyed charlatan did little to help the defense, and Mr. Hinton was convicted and sentenced to death. 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. A total of 54 men walked past Hinton's cell on their way to execution. The books are still passed around from cell to cell, but the meetings in the prison library are over. I say it because they took 30 years from me.. In 1985 Anthony Ray Hinton was charged with the murders of two restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama. When life is unjust, turn your pain into purpose. Two days later, after serving 30 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit, Ray was released. Former death row inmate Anthony Ray Hinton, who was exonerated in 2015 after spending nearly 30 years behind bars in Alabama, says he has forgiven the state for its decades-long injustice. 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. 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.