They greeted me with such unexpected affection. Why are prominent Los Angeles Latinos saying such racist things? Prayer, revival and Jesus Revolution: Is our rotting culture on the verge of something big? He saw two men running away from a figure on the ground near a dumpster. Through all the years of trials and incarceration, Hicks never lost faith. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. He said its a sentiment other correctional officers share. I survived, he says, and I understood the gravity of the situation right away. Officer Martin Vinson claimed to have witnessed Hicks raping the victim. 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. I feel 100 pounds lighter, he told the Inquirer. 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. Then he pulled out the S.T.E.P.U.P. Theres plenty of us who would give him help. 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. 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. Photo: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for The Innocence Project. The police froze the crime scene and catalogued whatever was there. WebHicks Settlement Settled by Tobias Hicks and sons about 1800. The training also emphasizes the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Baden testified that all shots were fired from behind Hicks, so he could not have been lunging at the officer who pulled the trigger. 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. Dennis Zungolo have been placed on restricted duty and the identity of the third officer has not been released. Earlier this month, The Root reported that another Black man, 45-year-old Termaine Hicks was exonerated of rape after spending 19 years in a Philadelphia prison. Falsely claiming under oath that they recovered a gun from Mr. Hicks right jacket pocket, which they asserted he placed back in his pocket after he was shot. Pennsylvanias statute of limitations for perjury and other relevant criminal charges bars prosecution after five years. He was exonerated in 2020. Pennsylvania is one of 15 states that does not compensate exonerees. The gun police said they found on Hicks was registered to another Philadelphia police officer, who had not reported it stolen or missing, according to court records. It was dark, and she suffered a head trauma during the assault. The vision is to have these videos in every classroom. He turned S.T.E.P.U.P. As he reached for his cell phone to call 911, two police officers ran to the scene. Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. He was arraigned while handcuffed to a hospital bed. Reached by phone Tuesday, Ellis, a crime-scene-unit officer, declined to comment or to confirm he was under investigation. 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. But this settlement closes out a difficult chapter in my life as my family and I now embark on a new one.. Potkin notes that several other police officers were at the scene as Hicks was shot or shortly thereafter. The Best News Ive Heard in All My Li After realizing theyd shot an unarmed man who did not match the description of the attacker, the officers conspired to cover it up. During his wrongful imprisonment, Mr. Hicks said he focused on his mental and spiritual health and used creative writing as an emotional outlet. In 2001, a police officer shot the 26-year-old Popeyes manager, later telling a court that Hicks reached for a gun after the officer found him raping a woman in a Philadelphia alleyway. God saw fit to keep me alive. But, seconds later, police officers arrived, took him for the rapist and shot him three times. Happy Holidays Termaine! Obviously, the worst part of these false convictions is that Black people are having enormous chunks of their lives stolen from them all because America is racist and its justice system reflects that, but the convictions are also a burden on taxpayers who end up footing the bill for settlements because they live in cities where law enforcement cares more about forcing guilty verdicts than they do about actually solving crimes. As the case slowly made its way through the courts, she said she couldnt sleep through the night. There was no evidence linking Hollman to the shooting and the two witnesses who identified him later recanted and said they were coerced by police to give their false testimonies. Then a 26-year-old father of one, Mr. Hicks had been walking home when he heard a woman screaming. Then the pandemic hit. In addition to the Innocence Project, Mr. Hicks is represented by local counsel Susan Lin of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing, Feinberg & Lin LLP. The officers falsely testified at trial that Mr. Hicks had lunged at them while armed with a gun that he pulled from his pocket. Inmates were sick, some were dying. He said: I tried to get the male to, uh, you know, put his hands where I could see them, and he was reaching for something and I couldnt see it.. He was exonerated This dragging on, its like youre still living it, Reynolds said. EfM gave me the skills, and this is my gift back to the world. | Editorial, Tampa man who was first to face trial for Florida voter fraud in 2020 election gets probation, St. Pete womans dream home turns into a nightmare after she finds code violation, DeSantis, GOP lawmakers pursue efforts to weaken news media protections, Florida man paralyzed by officer who mistook gun for Taser sues, Explosive found on Florida-bound Allegiant flight, man arrested, States move to crack down on nurses with bogus diplomas from Florida schools, correctional officers at a federal prison in Florida repeatedly sexually abused them, Florida teen charged as adult in rigged homecoming election. The Philadelphia District Attorneys Offices Conviction Integrity Unit sided with Hicks and his lawyers, and Common Pleas Court Judge Tracy Brandeis-Roman vacated his conviction on Wednesday. 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. McGrody did not return phone calls on Tuesday. 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. (Image: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for the Innocence Project). The Innocence Project recruited high-profile forensic pathologist Michael Baden to determine the direction from which the bullets were fired at Hicks. A spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office declined to comment if it would pursue action against the officers. 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). Hicks was convicted of rape and weapons offenses, with 20 officers testifying against him. 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. Hicks was then charged with the rape and later exonerated after the Conviction Integrity Unit found that the case was built on liespossibly to cover up the unjustified shooting and that forensic evidence easily cleared Hicks who should never have been arrested let alone convicted of the rape. His brothers Tone Hicks (left) and Tyron McClendon were there to greet him upon release. Police disciplinary records are currently kept confidential in. 2023 Innocence Project. Hicks has a powerful testimony against corruption in policing and the judicial system, but his heart is formed by mercy as much as the call to justice. Listen: Stories about Black men spending years and even decades behind bars for crimes they didnt. In 2015, Mr. Hicks came up for parole, but because he continued to assert his innocence he was denied, and not considered again. Please enable scripts and reload this page. A Pennsylvania court has vacated the rape conviction of Termaine Joseph Hicks, freeing him from prison after almost 19 years. Police Officer Martin Vinson said he shot Hicks in the chest or stomach as Hicks was pulling a gun from his pocket and lunging toward him. But, he added: Its unfortunate and sad that it took how long it took for me to clear my name. Few will have a story as heart-wrenching as Termaine Hickss. We were all mourning. In the early morning hours of November 27, 2001, Mr. Hicks heard the screams of a woman being raped in an alley in South Philadelphia and went to her aid. Abram Depp Settlement The farm of Abram and Lucy Depp was the first of this settlement of African Americans. Vinson has not responded to requests for comment and Zungolo referred questions to John McGrody, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. But the surveillance footage was not provided to Hicks or his lawyers until after his trial had concluded. Both Gillum and Lettman-Hicks were indicted as part of the FBI's long-running investigation into public corruption in Tallahassee. The investigation already netted convictions and federal prison time for former Mayor and City Commissioner Scott Maddox, his longtime aide Paige Carter-Smith and wealthy entrepreneur John "J.T." Burnette. On Wednesday, after 19 years incarceration, Hicks, 45, was, at last, exonerated. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. 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. The tape showed a man in a gray hoodie dragging the victim into the alley. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. The trial judge retired and was replaced by another judge, which really set the ball in motion, explains Hicks. The Innocence Project is affiliated with Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. You cant be in this box when it comes to God and religion, he says. Until then, he just wants to spend time with his family as a free person. Immediately, Hicks appealed. Police claimed that Mr. Hicks had a gun on him as part of their effort to cover up the circumstances of the shooting, but the weapon that was attributed to Mr. Hicks was registered to an active Philadelphia police officer. The officer had not reported the gun missing. Bryan Busch, who represented 11 women, and Phil Reizenstein, who represents one woman, said they did not want to comment on the settlement amounts until funds were released. The other guys on the [cell] block were shouting. 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.. He was exonerated after 19 years. The man they had just shot did not match the description of the attacker provided by a witness, who saw the assailant dragging the victim into an alley. Returning & Becoming: Kanuga Christian Formation, Episcopal Parish Network 38th Annual Conference, African American Readings of St. Paul with Dr. Lisa Bowens, Life Together Fellow, Church of Our Saviour, Milton, MA, Graduate Resident Youth or Childrens Minister. I do feel that, one case at a time, this system is being improved.. Hicks says, In the judicial system, theres something called finality that is very hard to overcome.. The latest Tweets from Termaine Hicks (@TermaineHicks). I dont serve Black people, an attendant told her. Hearing a scream pierce the darkness, he ran toward Dunkin Donuts and Saint Agnes Hospital. After they covered it up, he was wrongly convicted of attacking her. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Finally home, Mr. Hicks said hes most proud of himself for staying strong and remaining determined to prove his innocence. The footage then shows a delivery van arriving, the flash of its headlights flooding the alley. Mr. Hicks was transported to the hospital in all of his clothing which was preserved and included only a coat, a striped polo shirt, and white t-shirt but no hoodie. 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. William Campbell, S.J. On Wednesday, Termaine Hicks received the the best Ive heard in all my life. After 19 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit, Mr. Hicks was going home. Vinson, most recently assigned to the Third Police District, has not responded to requests for comment. You went with an armed guard, but its still pretty darn intimidating, this long walk to an ugly little room., There were 12 men in the room, and they all stood when I walked in. For 19 years, Termaine Joseph Hicks maintained his innocence. In his 19 years behind bars, Hicks always maintained his innocence. 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. 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. 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. Before finalizing the decision to drop charges, she consulted with the victims family. That matched other witness statements that the attacker wore a gray hoodie, while Hicks coat had no hood. Please avoid sharing any personal information in the comments below and join us in making this a hate-speech free and safe space for everyone. 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. Im excited for younow go live your life manyou deserve a good one. 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. Dennis Zungolo. Termaine Hicks speaks out after 19 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit (Part 1), At least 2 dead after exposure to unknown substance at N.Y. senior facility, Clark Atlanta University students mourn loss of athlete fatally shot near campus, Iranian government to investigate series of poisonings, Pennsylvania man accused of trying to bring explosive on plane, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked to leave Frogmore Cottage. The timing was uncanny. Then I was invited to EfM by an usher in the church. He says EfM provided him with a firm foundation so that, like John the Baptist, he would not be a reed shaken by every wind. The world now knows what Hicks did and did not do. One of those plays, Soldiers in the Army of the Lord, was performed at Graterford in 2012 in honor of Hickss EfM graduation. They have told me that the trauma of a retrial would be unbearable, she said. Zungolo, of South Detectives Division, declined an interview and referred questions to John McGrody, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. Judges denied Hickss requests for a new trial until this year. S.T.E.P.U.P. He wrote 12 plays and musicals while in prison and, now that hes free, he hopes to eventually produce and direct plays. His payout is just $50,000 short of the record for settlements of its kind in the city a distinction held by the $9.85 million agreement the city struck in 2018 with Anthony Wright, a man who served nearly 25 years of a sentence for a 1991 rape and murder that DNA evidence proved decades later he did not commit. Step up to it!. Mr. A jury believed the polices version of events over Hickss story. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix Prison Tuesday, Dec.16, 2020 in Collegeville, Penn. Twenty-seven judges had looked at my case by then, explains Hicks. It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. 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. All three shots struck Hicks from behind, yet Vinson said he was forced to fire because Hicks was lunging at him. He has always maintained that he arrived at the scene when he attempted to help the victim, she said. They had stage fright. Again, no gray hoodie was found. Though EfM groups commonly gather in parish buildings, some convene in prisons. The Innocence Project is affiliated with Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. I cant imagine the hurt in your heart and the million reasons you would have to hate someone but instead you are just happy and thankful. A jury later convicted Hicks of rape, and a judge sentenced him to up to 25 years in prison. 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. Its a joyful day for me and my family, Mr. Hicks said after being released. Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. He learned a lot about working with people, interpreting the Bible, and communicating faith. Those cases have led to more than a dozen exonerations in recent years and have cost the city more than $35 million since 2018. Heres what that means. For far too long the police have willfully lied with impunity; we need accountability, said Vanessa Potkin, director of post-conviction litigation at the Innocence Project, who represented Mr. Hicks. Like the traveler in the parable of the Good Samaritan, the victim had been left beaten, bloody, and half naked. 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. A neighbor who witnessed the woman being dragged by the assailant from the sidewalk to the alley and called police in real-time, reported that the attacker was wearing a gray hoodie covering his head. Court records for this case are available from Pennsylvania Eastern District Court. Vinson told the court he saw Hicks attacking the woman and saw him reach for a gun. If the case had not settled, it would have gone to trial next year. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, By Associated Press - Termaine Hicks walked out of Pennsylvania prison SCI Phoenix last week. Website by MADEO. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. Bitterness is cancerous, and this knowledge frees up my mental space: I know God had me. Mr. Hicks, an Innocence Project client, was wrongly convicted of a rape that took place in Philadelphia in 2001. Most of the more than 120,000 people who have participated in the four-year theological education program will agree. Police shot a Philly man, then accused him of rape. We must have had 150 people in the audience, both inmates and guests, remembers Slichter. us about an exoneration that we may have missed, Correct an error or add information about an exoneration The day of the incident, detectives viewed surveillance footage which confirmed the assailant was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, which should have excluded Mr. Hicks as a suspect. WebSettlement Agreement. WebOn February 27, 2003, Hicks was sentenced to between 12 and 25 years in prison. This decision comes after an investigation by the Innocence Project and the District Attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit who raised concerns about whether the officers fabricated evidence, planted a gun, and arrested Hicks under false pretenses, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Then, he said he shot Hicks in the chest or stomach. When recovered, the firearm was covered in blood belonging to the victim, who was bleeding profusely when the police arrived at the scene. Mr. Hicks was exonerated after the Philadelphia Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), led by Patricia Cummings, joined the Innocence Projects motion to vacate his conviction. Group showed footage of fatal Breonna Taylor raid at restaurant event, dine BLM co-founders cousin dies after police repeatedly use Taser, video shows, Bidens marijuana policy may change attitudes toward immigrants. Daniel G.P. 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. How Black and Latino people did in this last round of redistricting. At the time of his arrest, Hicks was an assistant manager at a South Philadelphia Popeyes, raising a 5-year-old son. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. There were moments, but I did not give up, he said. His brother and friend greeted him upon release. All Rights Reserved. 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