Anthony Ray Hinton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Ray Hinton
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Hinton in 2019
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| Born | June 1, 1956 Alabama, U.S.
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| Occupation | Author Activist |
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Notable work
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The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row |
| Spouse(s) | Halimah Abdullah |
Anthony Ray Hinton was born on June 1, 1956. He is an American activist and writer. He was wrongly found guilty of two murders in 1985. These crimes happened at fast food restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama.
Mr. Hinton was sentenced to death. He spent 28 years on death row, which is a special part of prison for people sentenced to death. In 2015, he was finally released.
In 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States decided his conviction was wrong. They sent his case back to Alabama. The state then dropped all charges against him. The only evidence in his first trial was about a gun. But the court could not confirm this evidence.
After his release, Mr. Hinton wrote a book. It is called The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. This book came out in 2018. His story was also shown in the 2019 movie Just Mercy.
Contents
His Story Begins
On February 25, 1985, and July 2, 1985, two fast food managers were killed. Their names were John Davidson and Thomas Wayne Vason. They died during robberies at their restaurants in Birmingham.
Police investigated Anthony Ray Hinton, who was 29 years old. A person who survived a third robbery picked his photo from a lineup. At that time, Mr. Hinton worked at a supermarket warehouse. He lived with his mother, Buhlar Hinton, in rural Alabama. This was about 30 minutes north of Birmingham.
Trial and Conviction
The police found a gun at Mr. Hinton's mother's house. At his trial, the prosecution said that bullets from the crime scenes matched this gun. This was the only evidence they had. There were no fingerprints or people who saw the crimes.
Mr. Hinton was found guilty of both murders. He was then sentenced to death. In 1988 and 1989, higher courts in Alabama agreed with this decision.
Life on Death Row
Mr. Hinton was sent to death row. He was kept in a small cell by himself for almost 30 years. During this long time, his mother believed he was innocent. His good friend, Lester Bailey, also supported him. Lester visited him every week. Sadly, Mr. Hinton's mother passed away in 2002.
While in prison, Mr. Hinton spent a lot of time reading. He even started a book club for other prisoners. They met in the prison's law library. They read books by authors like James Baldwin and Harper Lee. The book club became very popular. Reading helped them escape their difficult lives in prison.
Fighting for Freedom
Mr. Hinton's first lawyer, Sheldon C. Perhacs, handled his appeals. But he lost every case. This lawyer hired an expert who had poor eyesight. This expert also did not have much experience with guns. He said the gun was not connected to the shootings. But the jury did not believe him. They thought his poor eyesight made him unable to use the microscope correctly.
A detective named Doug Acker tried to trick Mr. Hinton. He asked him to sign a blank paper. He said it was just to confirm he knew his rights. Mr. Hinton refused to sign it.
Also, Mr. Hinton's boss said he was working at the supermarket when the crimes happened. He was cleaning at that time. Even with this, the jury still found him guilty.
After about 10 years on death row, a new lawyer took his case. This was Bryan Stevenson from the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). EJI is a group in Montgomery, Alabama that helps people. Mr. Stevenson worked on Mr. Hinton's case for 16 years.
During the appeals, EJI brought in three new experts. One expert was from the FBI. These experts showed that the bullets from the crime scenes did not match Mr. Hinton's mother's gun. But the Alabama court still would not overturn his conviction or give him a new trial.
Freedom and What Happened Next
In February 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States made a big decision. They said Mr. Hinton's first lawyer did not do a good job. They sent his case back to Alabama for a new trial. His first lawyer thought he only had $1,000 to hire an expert. The only expert he could afford had poor eyesight and little training with guns. This expert even admitted in court that he had trouble using the microscope.
In November 2014, the Alabama court closed Mr. Hinton's case. On April 1, 2015, the district attorney's office decided to drop the case. Their own experts could not match the crime-scene bullets to Mr. Hinton's mother's gun. This was the only evidence used to convict him in the first place.
On April 3, 2015, Mr. Hinton was finally released from prison. A judge overturned his conviction, and the state dropped all charges.
Mr. Hinton is the 152nd person since 1973 to be freed from death row in the United States. He is the sixth person in Alabama to be set free after being wrongly convicted. He said that everyone who helped send him to death row would have to answer to God.
Mr. Hinton asked for nearly $1.5 million in payment for his time in prison. But the state has not approved this payment. They say he did not prove his innocence. As of late 2022, he has not received any money from Alabama.
Since his release, Mr. Hinton has spoken out. He talks about problems in the Alabama justice system. He also speaks against the death penalty. His book, The Sun Does Shine, came out in 2018. He has given talks about his book and his experiences all over the country.
His book received many good reviews. One reviewer called it "a story of forgiveness and struggle." Another said it was "a heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story."
On May 19, 2019, Mr. Hinton gave a speech at St. Bonaventure University. He received an honorary degree there. Students had asked for him to speak because they were so inspired by him. He had spoken to them in 2015, just six months after his release.
On May 8, 2023, he also gave a speech and received an honorary degree from Emory University.
See also
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of wrongful convictions in the United States
