Lecture Series to Feature Exonerated Man Once on Death Row

This free, public event is set for 6 p.m. in the Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation, Room 134.

Convicted for the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Hinton was sentenced to death row. Because of the work of Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative he was released from prison in 2015 following a U.S. Supreme Court decision stating that Hinton received ineffective assistance of counsel during his initial trial due to lacking a proper expert witness.

"His subsequent dedication to advocating for justice aligns profoundly with the mission of both the African American studies program and the Prison-to-College Pipeline Program at the university," said Tracion Flood, African American studies program manager.

Hinton and his case were part of Stevenson's book "Just Mercy" (Spiegel and Grau, 2014) and the film by the same name.

He has also written his own book, "The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row" (St. Martin's Press, 2018).

"He will share his personal journey of endurance, hope and the pursuit of justice in the face of unimaginable circumstances," Flood said. "His lecture will highlight themes of resilience, forgiveness and the urgent need for reform in our criminal justice system."

Besides his keynote lecture, Hinton will have a virtual conversation and question-and-answer session with participants in the Prison-to-College Pipeline Program, which is led by Patrick Alexander, associate professor of English and African American studies.

The program promotes higher education in the prison system in response to the high rates of incarceration and the need for access to educational resources.

"This dialogue extends our university's mission of providing access to education and hope for current and prospective incarcerated students at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman," Alexander said.

Organizers hope that Hinton's story and advocacy will motivate and challenge.

"Anthony Ray Hinton's story is one of resilience, truth and hope," Flood said. "His voice will not only inspire but also challenge us to confront the realities of injustice and to imagine what true freedom and redemption can look like."

The lecture series is funded by a 2022 anonymous gift and honors Jeanette Jennings, the university's first Black faculty member.

Top: Anthony Ray Hinton, who spent 30 years on death row in Alabama before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction, will share his story as part of the Dr. Jeanette Jennings Lecture Series on Oct. 21 in the Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation. Adobe Stock photo