BELTON Two Bell County men were indicted by a grand . After 30 years on death row, Anthony Ray Hinton was exonerated over two years ago. Mr. Hinton, 58, argued for decades that Alabama officials including the judge who oversaw his trial and is now retired had made a series of compounding mistakes after three shootings in 1985 that left two men dead and another wounded. 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. [5][7] The jury disregarded the testimony of Hinton's boss, who testified that he was at work during the time of the alleged crimes. Anthony Ray Hinton (born June 1, 1956) is an American man who was wrongly convicted of the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama, sentenced to death, and held on the state's death row for 28 years. For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. By Christina Gould, SAL Patron Services Manager. 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. Then Anthony spent the first three years in the prison full of bitterness in his heart. Still, even though Stevenson had new ballistics tests performed on Hintons behalf, the Alabama courts denied the appeal, after taking two years to deliberate. 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. 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]. He must do exactly what he said he would do. Overview: The struggle to adapt to life after conviction is a major challenge, especially for those who were innocent of the crime that led to a prison sentence. Prosecutors admitted that they could not match four bullets found at the crime scene with Hinton's mother's gun, and that this was the only evidence offered in the original murder trial. Click here for more stories in the series and watch for more NewsHour EXTRA lesson content based on Searching for Justice stories. . 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. Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. (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. Casting a ballot represents a culmination of Mr. Hintons victory over that system., Voting for the first time was like a breath of fresh air. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. . For 30 years, Anthony Ray Hinton sat on death row for a crime he didn't commit 30 years of "pure hell," as he described it. The engineer said that there wasnt any connection between the weapon and the shooting. Have students pair/share with a partner. 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. Anthony Hinton (left) with attorney Bryan Stevenson following a hearing at which EJI argued all charges against Mr. Hinton must be dismissed immediately. Despite the new evidence, the courts still refused to reopen Rays case. Read this article and answer the following questions. They began, he said, with his arrest in one shooting that occurred while witnesses said he was at work miles away. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. The civil engineer testified that the ballistics test did not link the gun authorities found to either of the shootings. 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. Students will discuss systemic error in the criminal justice system and the real impact of wrongful convictions on individual lives. And youre going to take the rap. 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. 1. He . State prosecutors never questioned the new findings but nonetheless refused to re-examine the case or concede error. Anthony Hinton, 29 years old with no history of violent crime, steadfastly maintained his innocence. He told a gathering of family and supporters that "the sun does shine." Hinton, 59, wiped . 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. However, the jury disregarded his testimony because of his poor eyesight and inability to use the microscope correctly. Read the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution below and determine which of the five reasons from the second question of activity 1 were unconstitutional. 5. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and wrongfully charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. 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. 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.. 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. I witnessed other inmates time run out, he said, and Id be lying if I said you dont ask yourself, Wow, is that going to happen to me?. Have your students watch the video and answer the questions below. Hinton speaks about racism's role in conviction. What do you do when you tell a lawyer that youre innocent and he looks at you and says, The problem with that statement. Anthony Ray Hinton. Number two, a white man is gonna say you shot him, whether you shot him or not, believe, me I dont care, says Ray. Start your day together with God and the GOD TV team. Published: Apr. We gonna have a white judge. [5], While on death row, Hinton spent much of his time reading. In 2014 the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously overturned his conviction on appeal, after which the state dropped all charges against him. This morning, he arrived at the polls and exercised his right to vote. Hinton spent 28 years on death row for two robbery-murders in the Birmingham, Ala., area in the mid-1980s. 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. 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.. [4] Hinton was portrayed by O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the 2019 film Just Mercy. Join Washington Post senior critic-at-large Robin . I was released from death row. If you think there is no reason for another book about a grave miscarriage of American justice, think again. 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. [3], On April 3, 2015, Hinton was released from prison after Laura Petro, a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge, overturned his conviction and the state dropped all charges against him.[2][6]. He spent 30 years in prison until, with the help of. [4] Finally, Hinton was the last prisoner left on death row. Pain and terror: America's history of racism, Let sleeping dogs lie: Lynching memorial angers some. Anthony Ray Hinton walked out of the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Alabama, a free man for the first time in 30 years at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 3, 2015. 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. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Mr. Hinton thanked his supporters and legal team. 3. Four, youre gonna have a white judge. Adam Desiderio/ABC. Anthony Ray Hintons memoir of his wrongful imprisonment for 30 years for three murders he did not commit is a riveting account of the multiple outrages of the criminal justice system of Alabama. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Pastor Glen Berteau wants to reignite the fire of God within believers that have allowed their faith to become dormant. Ray was arrested, convicted, imprisoned, and sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. What did Hinton say were the five reasons given by the police officer that guaranteed his conviction? That paid for the experts who got it wrong. I truly believe God sent me to death row to meet Henry Francis Hays, says Ray. Mar 30, 2016 Updated Mar 31, 2016. But the state court of Alabama refused to overturn his convictions or grant a new trial. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. Hinton was convicted of murdering two fast food restaurant managers and sentenced to death at the age of 29. 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. But something deep inside his character made it possible for him to make friends of everyone near him, from the white man next to him on death row who had lynched a black teenager to almost every single prison guard who met him. About $2,100 was missing from the safe. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. By Jennifer Edwards Staff Writer. So I believe in the promise of hope alive, he said. Moving forward, he chose to pray for those men who set him up instead. 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. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. On Tuesday, he cast a vote for president. 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. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. There was no evidence at all to tie Hinton to two of the three murders he was accused of, and he was locked in a supermarket warehouse cleaning floors when a restaurant manager 15 miles away was abducted, robbed and shot. (334) 269-1803 EJI attorneys engaged three of the nations top firearms examiners who testified in 2002 that the revolver could not be matched to crime evidence. An all-white jury sentenced him guilty of two counts of capital murder and to death by electric chair.. 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. Anthony Ray Hinton was released from prison in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday. Love your enemy. The only way that we will ever conquer hate is love.. They gonna say you shot him. The prosecutors who filed the motion to dismiss the case did not respond to messages seeking comment, and, through a spokesman, the Alabama attorney general declined to be interviewed. Davidson was still alive when an exterminator came to the restaurant and found him in the restaurant cooler . 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. Anthonys mother and best friend also were crushed by the outcome. 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. Joe Nangle will also be honored May 19 Anthony Ray Hinton will deliver the keynote address May 19 at St. Bonaventure University's 159 th Commencement ceremony, almost four years after he left an indelible impression on the class about to graduate.. Hinton was released from prison in April 2015 after spending 30 years on Alabama's death row for a crime he did . But it would all fall on deaf ears, including his court-appointed lawyer. 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. 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 managerswho worked at different places, and who were killed months apart that year. All the while, Mr. Hinton remained at a prison in south Alabama, awaiting his execution. 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, 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, Hinton was exonerated in 2015, when he was 59 years old, according to, Thirty years ago, the prosecution seemed deemed to take my life from me, he continued, according to an NPR, Hintonstarted a book club while he was incarcerated, and went on to write a memoir about his experience, called, , Hinton has also found success as a motivational speaker and fierce advocate for prison reform, having been invited to dozens of universities and conferences to share his story since his release, according to the, "Just Mercy" opens in limited release on Christmas Day, and hits theaters everywhere on Jan. 10. And looked at the evidence and they said this is, you know, there is no match here. But for all yall thats snapping the cameras, I want you to know there is a God.. Bryan Stevenson told media this is a textbook example of injustice.. Having spent 30 years on. He added that from the outset, this case exhibited many of the classic signs of innocence.. He-he-he's going to be executed, says Lester. But he was innocent. Plus, two long lost cousins Hooked on drugs before he was a teen, a meth addict has only one goal in life. Anthony Ray Hinton Exonerated After 30 Years on Death Row. Officers had retrieved . FLORENCE -- Anthony Ray Hinton was mowing the grass outside the house he . 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. You want to know why?, Number one, youre black. Explore Anthony Ray Hinton Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Wife, Family relation. On July 31, 1985, the police arrested Anthony Ray Hinton for murder. We are here to help and encourage you! This is my Yes to Papa God. $200 per post at $10/CPM. I dont believe the God that I serve is gonna let me die for a crime He knows I didnt commit.. Anthony Ray Hinton attends "True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight For Equality" New York Screening at SVA Theater on June 24, 2019. We have a system that treats you better if youre rich and guilty than if youre poor and innocent, and his case proves it. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. When Ray was arrested for crimes he didn't commit, he remembers telling the police officers that he didn't do it. 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 becamethe 152nd person exonerated from death row since 1983 when he wasreleased on April 3, 2015. "To be accused of murder, itto me, it-it don't get no worse than that," says Anthony. But as a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. The reality is much worse as doctors find a large brain tumor behind Hes known as Johnny B. Badd from the World Wrestling Federation. Hi. Hinton was a special guest and speaker at 442 Orange St. on Tuesday evening for an event honoring the innocent on death row hosted by Jewish society Shabtai. Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! See Innocence and Race. That aint what He said. BY DEBORAH McKEON | TELEGRAM STAFF. Authorities arrested Hinton in 1985, after a string of robberies at restaurants in Birmingham. $140 per post at $7/CPM. Overview: The struggle to adapt to life after conviction is a major challenge, especially for those who were innocent of the crime that led to a prison sentence. Anthony Ray Hinton spent three decades on Alabama's death row for crimes he did not commit. On parole for petty theft, the 29-year-old was living with his mom and working as a day laborer. The only evidence linking Hinton to the. All Rights Reserved, U.S. History, U.S. Government & Civics, Criminal Justice, Legal Studies. He has become an inspirational speaker, traveling the country and the world. Police seized an old revolver belonging to Mr. Hinton's mother, and state firearm examiners said that was the gun used in all three crimes. Then he found hope in sharing Christ during his nearly 30 years on death row. Anthony Ray Hinton did not sleep very well the night before Tuesdays presidential election. Since Anthony Ray Hinton was exonerated and released from death row over two years ago, Alabama lawmakers have not only refused to compensate him for the three decades he spent on death row for a crimehe did not commit, but also passed legislation changing the appeals process in death penalty cases so that innocent people like Mr. Hinton now face aneven greater risk of being executed. That paid to keep him on death row for 30 years for a crime he didnt commit. Prosecutors dropped the case against Anthony Ray Hinton, 58, when new . The two Harriets were termed abolitionists because they wanted slavery to be abolished. 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. As for Ray, the courts would continue to block his appeals for a retrial. One of those people was Henry Hays, a KKK member on death row for lynching a Black teenager. 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. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] -- Anthony Ray Hinton spent more than half his life on death row in southern Alabama. 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 . He was convicted of two murders in 1985. This has nothing to do with luck. To be accused of murder, itto me, it-it dont get no worse than that, says Anthony. It took almost a decade for Mr. Hinton and his lawyers to recruit a panel of experts, including a former F.B.I. When life is unjust, turn your pain into purpose. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. I even asked God, What did I do so bad?. Anthony Ray Hinton, age 61, now lives as a free man in the state of Alabama, where he was born and raised. Living the Christian life is a journey. Read this article and answer the following questions. The only expert willing to testify at that price was a civil engineer with very little ballistics training and limited by having one eye; he admitted in court to having trouble in operating the microscope. Mar 27, 2019 . 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. The panel questioned the findings of the Alabama authorities, but the state remained steadfast. I have no respect for the prosecutors, the judges. Watch a trailer here. Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years in prison 28 on death row for a crime he didn't commit, and he has been busy since his 2015 exoneration. Ive got to forgive, he said. Anthony Ray Hinton's story of being wrongfully convicted and serving almost thirty years on Death Row is one of gargantuan unfairness. Stunned, confused, and only 29 years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity . 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 . Firearms experts convened by an Equal Justice Initiative attorney testified in 2002 that the revolver was not the weapon used in the murders of the two fast-food managers. Hes also written a book about his journey of forgiveness and redemption, hoping his story will inspire change and healing. In the interview, Hinton described how issues of race permeated his case. 2. Deputies escort Mr. Hinton in the courthouse during his trial. Hinton knew it was a case of mistaken identity and naively believed that the truth would prove his innocence and set him free. God made it possible for you to know. The arresting officer told him chilling words he would never forget when authorities arrested him. Anthony hated the men who did it to him. Can God change your life? We are thrilled that Mr. Hinton will finally be released because he has unnecessarily spent years on Alabamas death row when evidence of his innocence was clearly presented, said his lead attorney, Bryan Stevenson. Hinton spent 30 years on Alabama's death row for crimes he didn't commit. [18] He had previously spoken to the students of the Class of 2019, six months after his release, in 2015. 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.. He was going to be convicted anyway. Hence, he asked God to remove the hatred and bitterness in his heart. Today, as EJI Community Educator, hes a tireless and powerful advocate for abolition of the death penalty. Number two, a white man gonna say you shot him. First, have students answer the following questions, either in class discussion or as written answers. Death Row Exonoree Wednesday, April 12, 2023 8pm. Tennessee Lawmakers Lynching Comment Sparks Outrage, Compared to Neighboring Tennessee, Alabamas Execution Review Falls Short, Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Man Sentenced to Death in Arizona, Alabama Man Allegedly Held in Jail Freezer Dies of Hypothermia, 122 Commerce Street Montgomery, AL 36104 No one knows the hardship created by our inefficient system more than I do, Mr. Hinton wrote. "[unreliable source?] With no credible expert to challenge the States assertion of a match, Mr. Hinton was convicted and sentenced to death. I mean ONLY.. with his arrest in one shooting that occurred while witnesses said he was at work miles away. No fingerprints or eyewitness testimony were introduced. YOU HAVE 20,000 FOLLOWERS: $100 per post at a $5/CPM. 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. On February 24, 2014, the Supreme Court today unanimously granted relief to Anthony Hinton, finding that his trial lawyer was constitutionally deficient.