I would remain optimistic and hopeful that the powers that be take a hard look at the numerous officers who were named in that indictment, DeMiles said. California residents do not sell my data request. According to her filings, the process of constructing a cover-up began immediately. Ignatius, Discernment, and You with the Rev. However, police did not disclose the surveillance footage until after the trial. READ MORE: Police shot a Philly man, then accused him of rape. During the trial a year later, the medical examiner would say he could not determine the direction from which the bullets that struck Hicks were fired. His brothers Tone Hicks (left) and Tyron McClendon were there to greet him upon release. In 2003, he was sentenced to 12.5 to 25 years in prison. Termaine Hicks case marks the 16th exoneration since 2018 attributed to the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office Conviction Integrity Unit. Termaine Hicks was convicted on rape and other charges, largely on the testimony of police officers. Most of these kids had made a single mistake, he says, often as the result of bullying, and their entire lives were disrupted. At that moment, police, responding to the calls of several neighbors, arrived on the scene. One witness was threatened with arrest and the other was promised help on his own pending criminal case in exchange for falsely implicating Hollman. The National Registry of Exonerations is a project of the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at University of California Irvine, the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. Now a free man, But that defendant was acquitted at a re-trial when the defense presented evidence that Officer Ellis planted ballistics and falsely attributed guns to the accused that he did not in fact possess.. She assumed those were police spotlights. During his 19 years in prison, Hicks noticed how new inmates entering into the penitentiary were younger and younger. We welcome new information from any source about exonerations already on our list and about cases not in the Registry that might be exonerations. He wrote and directed 12 plays in prison. He learned a lot about working with people, interpreting the Bible, and communicating faith. Sometimes it comes out in the spiritual autobiography, but we dont ask. I could have just disappeared, but I want to be on the front lines. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix on Dec. 16 after 19 years in prison. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. During that time, Hicks worked his way through the local trial court, the appellate, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, until he only had one option remaining: the U.S. Supreme Court. Like the traveler in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the victim had been left beaten, bloody, and half naked. When he was sentenced to a maximum of 25 years, he told the judge: An innocent man cant sit in jail for long. But at parole hearings, according to his lawyers, he was penalized for refusing to accept responsibility for the crime. Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. Through all the years of trials and incarceration, Hicks never lost faith. The officers involved in this case had extensive internal affairs files with numerous allegations of lying, planting evidence, excessive force, and substantiated complaints filed by civilians. The women feared that if they came forward theyd be sent to another federal facility far from their families, interrupting the education and work programs they had at Coleman, which is the largest federal prison in the U.S. Settlements were approved by the Attorney Generals office on Monday. The Philadelphia District Attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit agreed with Hicks and his lawyers, civil-rights attorney Susan Lin, and the Innocence Project, that the case was built on lies possibly to cover up the unjustified shooting that were contradicted by newly analyzed and compelling forensic evidence. WebTermaine Hicks was exonerated on December 16, 2020 after 19 years of wrongful incarceration. False testimony was used, said Patricia Cummings, chief of the Conviction Integrity Unit, the Inquirer reported. Falsely claiming under oath that Mr. Hicks wore a gray hoodie like that a neighbor described the assailant as wearing. They lied under oath to cover up for shooting an innocent man three times in the back, Innocence Project lawyer Vanessa Potkin said. Philadelphia officials said Wednesday that the city will be paying out $9.8 million in one of the largest wrongful-conviction settlements in the citys history to a Black man who spent 28 years in prison for a murder the district attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit now says it was near impossible that he committed. He purchased land and other AA's settled near him. In fact, the gun was registered as the off-duty weapon of another uniformed Philadelphia police officer. Prior to our interview, he had just given a talk for the Dutch Consulate at the United Nations in New York City. It was in such a group at the State Correctional InstitutionGraterford, a maximum-security prison in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, that EfM group leader Ginny Slichter met Termaine Hicks for the first time. Both a forensic analysis of Hicks medical records and a review of his clothing with bullet holes in the back, but none in the front supported Hicks account, according to the citys chief medical examiner. Philadelphia officials said Wednesday that the city will be paying out $9.8 million in one of the largest wrongful-conviction settlements in the citys history to a Black man who spent 28 years in prison for a murder the district attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit now says it was near impossible that he committed. Web7.9K views, 321 likes, 112 loves, 25 comments, 220 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Innocence Project: Termaine Hicks wrote 12 plays and countless poems during his 19 years of wrongful Termaine Hicks - Just Another Day | Termaine Hicks wrote 12 plays and countless poems during his 19 years of wrongful incarceration. The police froze the crime scene and catalogued whatever was there. Hicks says Vinson muttered something like, damn, and then began to cry. His brothers Tone Hicks and Tyron McClendon greeted him upon release. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. When you look more broadly at the other officers involved in this case, there is a larger pattern of official misconduct, Potkin said. Lauren Reynolds received $600,000 for her settlement - but she said it wasnt about the money. Zungolo, of South Detectives Division, declined an interview and referred questions to John McGrody, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. I found what was already there. He created an organization called S.T.E.P.U.P., an acronym for Selfless Thinking Expresses Potential that Uplifts People, and began writing educational scripts that were later turned into films. Thank you for visiting us. My heart was filled with sorrow reading your story but as I saw your smile in the video, my tears of sorrow became tears of joy. For the most accurate data, please search on the Detailed View page. Now, said Innocence Project attorney Vanessa Potkin, He is going to be returned to something that he should have had on Nov. 27, when police encountered him, but he didnt: the presumption of innocence.. Mr. Mr. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, 53, both of Tallahassee, Florida. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Then I was invited to EfM by an usher in the church. Potkin notes that several other police officers were at the scene as Hicks was shot or shortly thereafter. S.T.E.P.U.P. Hicks case is yet another example of the pervasive problem of police perjury in the criminal legal system. Now, under the scrutiny of a new investigation, the case against Hicks has fallen apart. And I believe its impossible to say that did not contribute to the conviction.. All Rights Reserved. If the case had not settled, it would have gone to trial next year. A Maryland Dumping Site Was Actually A Black Cemetery. And he was unarmed. Website by MADEO. As he was sentenced, Hicks told the judge: an innocent man cant sit in jail for long. Hicks We dont ask the men what theyre in for, Slichter says. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Those cases have led to more than a dozen exonerations in recent years and have cost the city more than $35 million since 2018. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. Although most of the evidence analyzed in the recent review of the case was available at the time of Hickss original trial, the jury never saw an enhanced security tape that corroborated parts of Hickss story. Vinson told the court he saw Hicks attacking the woman and saw him reach for a gun. The 45-year-old was exonerated on Wednesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported, after a new analysis suggested the conviction was based on false testimony and questionable evidence possibly in an attempt to justify a botched police shooting. the $9.85 million agreement the city struck in 2018 with Anthony Wright. When you have a circumstance where at a minimum misconduct is discovered, and at a maximum potential criminal behavior is possible, its got to be examined.. They lied under oath to cover up for shooting an innocent man three times in the back, Innocence Project lawyer Vanessa Potkin said. I was writing Christian plays, engaged in independent study, and searching Scripture. After they covered it up, he was wrongly convicted of attacking her. The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. On a November morning in 2001, Hicks had just walked his little brother, Tyron, to the bus stop in their south Philadelphia neighborhood, when he was called to be a real-life Good Samaritan. As a white man in the deep south(Ms) Ive seen racism and its unfair and uglythis world has no place for that.brother I dont care if you are pink, purple or polka dotted you are welcome to come eat with me and my family anytime.would love to meet you. The new analysis outlined a case in which ample physical evidence available 19 years ago ought to have been enough to clear Hicks, who was known in court records as Jermaine Weeks. Daniel G.P. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. The presumption of innocence., Demographic changes: How the racial makeup of where you live has changed since 1990, Newsletter: Subscribe to About US to read the latest on race and identity, George Floyds America: Examining systemic racism through the lens of his life, Resources: Understanding racism and inequality in America. Only Jesus can do this.you are blessed. Attempting to reach the Supreme Court as a pro se litigant, would have been an exercise in futility so I withdrew my appellate rights. At one point, Mr. Hicks was considered for parole, but was ultimately denied because he refused to admit guilt, and continued to maintain his innocence. Photo: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for The Innocence Project. Mr. Termaine Hicks (Photo: Jason E. Miczek for AP/Innocence Project), Support The National Registry of Exonerations , The Contribution of Forensic and Expert Evidence to DNA Exoneration Cases, Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, 2022, Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent, Witness Recantations: Preliminary Findings, May 2013, Exonerations in the United States: 1989 - 2012, Tell us about an Exoneration that we missed, Other Philadelphia, Pennsylvania exonerations. Within 30 days of surrendering his appellate rights, Hicks was contacted by the Innocence Project. Wanting to reach young people before fateful decisions are made, he began to produce videos on gun violence and bullying. Website by MADEO. Listen: Stories about Black men spending years and even decades behind bars for crimes they didnt. The Innocence Project and Philadelphia DAs Conviction Integrity Unit found evidence police lied to cover up the shooting of Termaine Joseph Hicks, a bystander who rushed to help a rape victim. The tape showed a man in a gray hoodie dragging the victim into the alley. Most of those officers have since retiredas opposed to firing, charges or any semblance of actual accountabilitybut some, like those involved in Hicks case, remain on the force and have even been promoted. They shot him three times in the back. In his 19 years behind bars, Hicks always maintained his innocence. WebTermaine Hicks was exonerated in December after the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office conceded that lead police officers lied under oath to cover up shooting Mr. Hickswho was innocent of any crimein the back three times. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix Prison Tuesday, Dec.16, 2020 in Collegeville, Penn. The chief medical examiner recanted his prior testimony. The Philadelphia District Attorneys Office recently concluded much of the testimony against Hicks was false.Dec. Slichter invited the Rt. After realizing theyd shot an unarmed man who did not match the description of the attacker, the officers conspired to cover it up. In 2016, the city paid $15,000 to settle a civil-rights lawsuit naming Vinson as one of two officers who dragged a taxi driver falsely accused of stealing a cell phone out of his cab, assaulted him, and told him if he did not like it, he could go back to his country., The Police Advisory Commissions executive director, Anthony Erace, said he was not familiar with Hicks case but would seek a review. Press "Enter" or click on the arrow to show results. Only after did they realize their mistake Mr. Hicks was not the right person. Hicks lawyers allege that the cover-up went well beyond the three officers. He was exonerated I was already a devoted Christian, reading my Bible daily. Officer Martin Vinson and Sgt. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the Innocence Project: Police shot Mr. Hicks as he was helping a victim. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, police misconduct, like this, has played a role in 35% of wrongful convictions resulting in exonerations since 1989. He thought about those younger and younger inmates, and knew he needed to get his message to young people before their first encounters with the judicial system. Mr. Hicks, an Innocence Project client, was wrongly convicted of a rape that took place in Philadelphia in 2001. Police disciplinary records are currently kept confidential in. Gutirrez, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, and other visitors from outside the prison to the performance. Watsons role in the case was not clear, and he was not called to testify. But, seconds later, police officers arrived, took him for the rapist and shot him three times. She also extended an apology to the victim, whose name was withheld. Hearing a scream pierce the darkness, he ran toward Dunkin Donuts and Saint Agnes Hospital. Now, Potkin said, hes focused on returning to society, building on his relationship with his son, now 24, and meeting a 2-year-old grandson for the first time. She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. We may earn a commission from links on this page. He said he was meeting with McGrody, who could answer any further questions. What she remembered was that after bright lights appeared, the assault stopped. Hicks came from Maryland, Possibly with former slaveowner, White Brown. Had these records been publicly available, Mr. Hicks may not have had to endure so many years of injustice or been wrongly convicted at all, she said. She would always say, Ive got some good news and some not-so-good news. The good news was that he still had a chance, and the not-so-good news was another continuance60 days, 90 days, 180 days. Surveillance tape from that night could reconcile her account with Hicks. Hicks case is yet another example of systemic police abuse that is pervasive in the criminal legal system and persists because of institutional protections and a lack of accountability, said Vanessa Potkin, director of post-conviction litigation at the Innocence Project, who represented Mr. Hicks. Now, he hopes to produce work for the wider community, including a play about his own life and performances inspired by the oldheads who shared their wisdom over decades in prison. He often speaks for the Innocence Project. also offers motivational speaking and training in schools, teaching positive decision-making, how to recognize bullying, and how to communicate with peers who carry guns, sell drugs, or who drink and drive. Cummings said Philadelphia prosecutors would not attempt to retry the tainted case. The trial judge retired and was replaced by another judge, which really set the ball in motion, explains Hicks. After his dramatic exoneration and release from prison, Hicks spent six months just trying to ease back into society. Pennsylvania is one of 15 states that does not compensate exonerees. The Registry provides detailed information about every known exoneration in the United States since 1989cases in which a person was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared of all the charges based on new evidence of innocence. He has always maintained that he arrived at the scene when he attempted to help the victim, she said. The cover up of shooting an innocent man required the false testimony of three officers and the acquiescence of a dozen more. To find an EfM group near you or learn more about EfM groups in prisons, read more here. EfM gave me the skills, and this is my gift back to the world. Ive been saying the same thing since day one. There were weeks we never once left our cells. A police spokesperson said that the district attorney did not provide details on the allegations until after Hicks Joint Stipulation of Mr. Hicks and the Commonwealth. Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Tracy Brandeis-Roman vacated the conviction and offered a bittersweet congratulations to Hicks. Several of the same investigators who worked to convict Wright were also involved in Hollmans case. In prison, I had to coax some of those guys up there. Judges denied Hickss requests for a new trial until this year. WebLiked by Brandon Hicks Attention School of Law alumni: On Wednesday, March 1, Liberty Law will be holding a memorial service for Curtis Walton, who was tragically murdered WebSettlement Agreement. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. After 19 years in prison, hes been found innocent. The footage then shows a delivery van arriving, the flash of its headlights flooding the alley. False testimony was used, and I believe its impossible to say that did not contribute to the conviction.. Hickss case began in the early-morning hours of Nov. 27, 2001, according to a memorandum summarizing the case, as a woman walked to an early shift at Dunkin Donuts. 21, 2020. Dr. Mark Bozzuti-Jones, Churchwide Global Mission Conference: Journey Into Healing, Finding Home in God with Yale Professor Miroslav Volf 3-Part Online Series. She couldnt clearly see her attacker in the dark, and she suffered a head injury. Bitterness is cancerous, and this knowledge frees up my mental space: I know God had me. Shop sales in every category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. One of the bullets barely missed my spine, but youre talking to a guy who ran a couple of marathons while he was incarcerated., A post shared by Tyron McClendon (@mrgrinch215). IE 11 is not supported. 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