1 HJR123
2 206075-1
3 By Representative Hall
4 RFD: Rules
5 First Read: 11-MAR-21
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1 206075-1:n:03/04/2020:MFC/mfc LSA2020-947
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8 RECOGNIZING THE INJUSTICE SUFFERED BY MR. ANTHONY
9 RAY HINTON.
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11 WHEREAS, in 1985, Mr. Anthony Ray Hinton was
12 arrested for murder; his public defense attorney did not
13 provide adequate counsel and the evidence provided at trial
14 was inadequate for conviction; and
15 WHEREAS, although there were no fingerprints or
16 eyewitness testimony introduced at the trial, and despite the
17 testimony of his boss that he was at work at the time the
18 murders occurred, Mr. Hinton was convicted of murder and
19 sentenced to death; and
20 WHEREAS, he was sent to death row and was held in
21 solitary confinement for nearly three decades; during this
22 time, he lost his beloved mother, who was his faithful
23 supporter and who had an unwavering faith in his innocence;
24 and
25 WHEREAS, following many years of appeals, and
26 following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on March 11, 2015, the
27 state sought dismissal of the charges finding no evidence
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1 connecting Mr. Hinton to the crime, the Jefferson County
2 Circuit Court granted the motion, and Mr. Hinton was released
3 from prison on April 3, 2015; now therefore,
4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
5 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That we hereby recognize that Mr.
6 Anthony Ray Hinton was incarcerated and extend our deepest
7 apologies to him for being subjected to nearly three decades
8 on death row for a conviction that was overturned and for
9 which the state declined to reprosecute.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we hereby commit to
11 review the framework under existing law for compensation of
12 those wrongfully incarcerated to identify necessary
13 improvements to the law to ensure fairness and equality in the
14 compensation process.
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