Thank you for visiting us. At the time of his arrest, Hicks was an assistant manager at a South Philadelphia Popeyes, raising a 5-year-old son. One of the bullets that entered the back of his arm lodged in his chest, collapsing a lung and requiring emergency surgery. And he was unarmed. 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. It was a chance for me to try to find out how God operates with us. 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. Hicks said the officer shot him in the back as he was reaching into his pocket for his phone to call 911. 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. The Inquirer reported that Hickss lawyer, Vanessa Potkin, said the gun was covered with blood, but the coat pocket, where Vinson claimed Hicks had been keeping the gun, was clean. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. I could have just disappeared, but I want to be on the front lines. His attorneys celebrated the exoneration Wednesday, noting that Hicks, who was the father of a 5-year-old boy when he was incarcerated, would be able to meet his 2-year-old grandson for the first time. This dragging on, its like youre still living it, Reynolds said. As he was sentenced, Hicks told the judge: an innocent man cant sit in jail for long. Hicks If seated, a Cherokee delegate could make a big difference in Congress, How the racial makeup of where you live has changed since 1990, Subscribe to About US to read the latest on race and identity, Examining systemic racism through the lens of his life, Understanding racism and inequality in America. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, By Associated Press - The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. Six of the eight accused officers admitted to having sexual contact with inmates, according to a July document filed by the United States in response to the complaint. They greeted me with such unexpected affection. For 19 years, Termaine Joseph Hicks maintained his innocence. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. You cant be in this box when it comes to God and religion, he says. Now a free man, Please enable scripts and reload this page. As he was reaching for his cellphone to dial 911, the police suddenly arrived, shot him in the back and charged him unjustly. In 2003, the Innocence Project had just 15 attorneys and could not take his case. the $9.85 million agreement the city struck in 2018 with Anthony Wright. Then a 26-year-old father of one, Mr. Hicks had been A Pennsylvania court has vacated the rape conviction of Termaine Joseph Hicks, freeing him from prison after almost 19 years. Realizing Mr. Hicks did not match the description of the attacker provided by a neighbor to 911 and that he was unarmed, the officers embarked on a cover-up, which included: Based on the officers testimony, Mr. Hicks was convicted of rape, aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime, and terroristic threats. Several of the same investigators who worked to convict Wright were also involved in Hollmans case. He is going to be returned to something that he should have had on November 27, when police encountered him, but he didnt, Potkin said, the Inquirer reported. 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). After the 5th Circuits ruling, does DACA have a future? 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. However, the recent assessments by both the chief medical examiner for the City of Philadelphia and an independent medical examiner concluded that Mr. Hicks was shot from behind meaning he wasnt coming toward the officers when he was shot. S.T.E.P.U.P. His attorney Amelia Green said the evidence supporting Hollmans innocence which garnered media attention first in the form of a 2017 report in The Inquirer and, in April, an episode of the Netflix series The Innocence Files put pressure on city officials to resolve the case swiftly, though neither they nor police admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement deal. Making it easier for Black people to vote had unexpected consequences, Latinos who use Spanish-language social media get more misinformation, How public colleges have already backed away from affirmative action. Termaine Joseph Hicks exonerated after 19 years in prison - Inquirer Its unfortunate and sad that it took how long it took for me to clear my name.. Based on these lies, Mr. Hicks was convicted of rape, aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime, and terroristic threats in 2002 and sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Now theyve reached a settlement, Pinellas lawyer arrested after stealing more than $840,000 from clients, deputies say, Christopher Sabella elected as Hillsborough Countys next chief judge, Steven Lorenzo sentenced to death for 2 Tampa murders, How about spending more on preventing crime? Hicks says, In the judicial system, theres something called finality that is very hard to overcome.. The lawsuit contended that Bureau of Prisons officers at Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Sumter County sexually abused female inmates for years and threatened the women if they didnt comply. Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude. This article was published more than2 years ago. Hicks survived, but was charged with the rape and sentenced to 12 to 25 years in prison. Twenty-seven judges had looked at my case by then, explains Hicks. We need a whole new system.. He had his hand in his pocket because he was going to attempt to call the police when they arrived and shot him in the back. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. Hicks says Vinson muttered something like, damn, and then began to cry. EfM taught me how to open the box, and also how to be diplomatic., He says, EfM was a vessel. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, 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. But as settlement conferences dragged on, the effects of her trauma worsened. How Black and Latino people did in this last round of redistricting. WebOn 03/15/2022 HICKS filed a Civil Right - Other Civil Right court case against CITY OF PHILADELPHIA in U.S. District Courts. Ive been saying the same thing since day one. She assumed the lights were police flashlights, but the enhanced footage suggested the light had instead been the delivery trucks headlights. Joe Rojas, the southeast regional vice president for the workers union, AFGE Council of Prisons, said the case was a black eye for an otherwise hardworking and upright staff. She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. It appears that for years and even decades the Philadelphia criminal justice system has shown a pattern of locking up Black men for crimes they didnt commit based on the work of corrupt police officers and conviction-happy courts that never really consider that a Black defendant might be getting railroaded despite a glaring lack of evidence to support their guilt. Nightly Films Termaine Hicks speaks out after 19 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit (Part 1) In his first TV interview since his exoneration, Termaine Hicks But unlike in Wrights case, which was settled on the eve of a civil trial, the agreement in Hollmans case came before he had even filed suit. Gutirrez, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, and other visitors from outside the prison to the performance. Deep-seated police misconduct and institutional protections are too often the source of wrongful convictions and injustice in the system. He was exonerated after 19 years. Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. The chief medical examiner recanted his prior testimony. As a result of receiving this information, we have opened an Internal Affairs investigation into the allegations of police misconduct, the spokesperson said in an email. As one of the men said, referencing the work of famed public interest lawyer and equal justice activist Bryan Stevenson, Would you want to be known for the worst thing you ever did, for the rest of your life?. Step up to it!. When Black Marxist Angela Davis found out her ancestors owned slaves. Vinson told the court he saw Hicks attacking the woman and saw him reach for a gun. We empower youth to use their voice to prevent bullying and violence, says Hicks about his presentations at schools. Even the most seasoned attorney does not likely get the opportunity to go before them, says Hicks, who was by this time arguing his own case pro se. Police disciplinary records are currently kept confidential in. Though EfM groups commonly gather in parish buildings, some convene in prisons. After realizing theyd shot an unarmed man who did not match the description of the attacker, the officers conspired to cover it up. 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