The gun that was entered into evidence was registered to a Philadelphia police officer. 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. 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. Why are prominent Los Angeles Latinos saying such racist things? The latest Tweets from Termaine Hicks (@TermaineHicks). She noted that the gun was smeared with blood, while the inside of Hicks coat pocket was clean. In prison, I had to coax some of those guys up there. But, he added: 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. He was exonerated after the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office conceded that lead police Three Philadelphia police officers have been reassigned pending an internal investigation into the arrest of Termaine Joseph Hicks, who was cleared of a 2001 rape last week after spending 19 years in prison. Then a 26-year-old father of one, Mr. Hicks had been walking home when he heard a woman screaming. He was convicted and served 19 years in State Correctional Institution Phoenix, about an hour northwest of Philadelphia. 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. (Image: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for the Innocence Project). Hicks had been exonerated. There were moments, but I did not give up, he said. Several of the same investigators who worked to convict Wright were also involved in Hollmans case. To find an EfM group near you or learn more about EfM groups in prisons, read more here. Press "Enter" or click on the arrow to show results. Medical records and damage to the clothes Hicks was wearing that night showed he had actually been shot in the back, contrary to what police claimed, the Inquirer reported. Police shot a Philly man, then accused him of rape. Hicks came from Maryland, Possibly with former slaveowner, White Brown. Attempting to reach the Supreme Court as a pro se litigant, would have been an exercise in futility so I withdrew my appellate rights. 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. But in recent years, evidence has piled up to suggest that the case presented by police and prosecutors was riddled with errors, the Inquirer reported. Website by MADEO. 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. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. Officer Martin Vinson and Sgt. 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. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix on Dec. 16 after 19 years in prison. One of those plays, Soldiers in the Army of the Lord, was performed at Graterford in 2012 in honor of Hickss EfM graduation. Reached by phone Tuesday, Ellis, a crime-scene-unit officer, declined to comment or to confirm he was under investigation. 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 Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix on Wednesday after a wrongful incarceration of 19 years. Though EfM groups commonly gather in parish buildings, some convene in prisons. 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. She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. He saw two men running away from a figure on the ground near a dumpster. He was exonerated Immediately, Hicks appealed. 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 It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. According to lawyers, it shows a man in a hoodie dragging the victim into the alley. I am quite cognizant of the pain and the trauma of the victim, and then more pain in realizing that the wrong person was convicted, Brandeis-Roman said Wednesday, the Inquirer reported. His brother and friend greeted him upon release. A woman had been pistol-whipped, dragged into an alleyway behind what was then St. Agnes Hospital in South Philadelphia, and raped until the rapist was startled and fled the scene. Police arriving at the scene completely misread the situation, erroneously assuming Mr. Hicks was the assailant, and shot him three times in the back. Upon entering prison, Hicks was forced to separate from his son, who was only 5 years old at the time of his sentencing. 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. That decision comes after an investigation by the Innocence Project and the District Attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit raised serious questions about whether police had fabricated evidence, planted a gun, and arrested Hicks under false pretenses all to conceal a police shooting of an innocent bystander who had rushed to aid a rape victim. The agreement announced Wednesday is the latest in a string of seven-figure settlements stemming from claims of misconduct by city police in the late 1980s Going back to the morning of the crime, the victim was not able to identify her assailant. The tape showed a man in a gray hoodie dragging the victim into the alley. Potkin said further evidence suggests police planted the gun they said they retrieved from his jacket pocket. WebOn February 27, 2003, Hicks was sentenced to between 12 and 25 years in prison. So, I could see the sun, or take a shower, or have a phone callbut only one. It was hard to maintain sanity.. Its a joyful day for me and my family, Mr. Hicks said after being released. In a first, House Democrats elected a Black leader. Seeing so many inmates broken by the prison system, Hicks determined he would find his strength in God. Deep-seated police misconduct and institutional protections are too often the source of wrongful convictions and injustice in the system. How Black and Latino people did in this last round of redistricting. Lettman-Hicks filed to run for the District 8 seat on June 1, just days before a federal grand jury indicted on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. One was a 2015 lawsuit alleging that Vinson and another officer had dragged a taxi driver falsely accused of stealing a cell phone out of his cab and assaulted him. Dr. Mark Bozzuti-Jones, Churchwide Global Mission Conference: Journey Into Healing, Finding Home in God with Yale Professor Miroslav Volf 3-Part Online Series. Ellis arrived with his then-partner, Duane Watson who is currently facing perjury charges after his testimony in a narcotics arrest was contradicted by surveillance video. Dennis Zungolo testified against him They claim they found him raping a woman in an alley near a hospital and He was exonerated 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. McGrody did not return phone calls on Tuesday. I was replacing my beloved EfM predecessor, Dennis Warner, who had died recently of a brain tumor in the prime of his life. Hicks lawyers allege that the cover-up went well beyond the three officers. into a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to produce and promote the videos, which are now being requested in schools around the nation. after a wrongful incarceration for 19 years. After they covered it up, he was wrongly convicted of attacking her. He has always maintained that he arrived at the scene when he attempted to help the victim, she said. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Doug Harper at (850) 488 WebTermaine Hicks is an exoneree and IP client. 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. 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. 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. That means its over; youre going to serve your sentence.. 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.. 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. Hicks case is yet another example of the pervasive problem of police perjury in the criminal legal system. The chief medical examiner recanted his prior testimony. After his dramatic exoneration and release from prison, Hicks spent six months just trying to ease back into society. 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 things that are promised to citizens should be delivered: a fair trial, and a fair look at whats being presented.. scripts he had written while incarcerated. The vision is to have these videos in every classroom. He turned S.T.E.P.U.P. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. We need a whole new system.. We empower youth to use their voice to prevent bullying and violence, says Hicks about his presentations at schools. Slichter describes her first visit to the prison. He purchased land and other AA's settled near him. What we are doing is just reintroducing simple life decision-making, Hicks explains. This article was published more than2 years ago. A jury later convicted Hicks of rape, and a judge sentenced him to up to 25 years in prison. Mr. For the most accurate data, please search on the Detailed View page. Determined to make my dreams come true However, police did not disclose the surveillance footage until after the trial. Vinson testified that he fired because Hicks reached for a gun and lunged at him and his then-partner Zungolo testified he saw Hicks pulling up his pants when police arrived. In 2001, a police officer shot the 26-year-old Popeyes manager, later telling a court that Hicks 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. You cant be in this box when it comes to God and religion, he says. 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. Gutirrez, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, and other visitors from outside the prison to the performance. According to her filings, the process of constructing a cover-up began immediately. 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 In another, Ellis was one of a number of officers accused of beating a suspect and then arresting him for assault and resisting arrest. The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. Bitterness is cancerous, and this knowledge frees up my mental space: I know God had me. They were happy for me, banging on doors, he said. Twice a month, his attorney, Vanessa Potkin, would call from the Innocence Project. Rev. 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. 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. Hicks didnt want his grandson to see him in prison. 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. Mr. Dr. Mark Bozzuti-Jones, Two-Year Spiritual Direction Training Course, Spring Music Season at Trinity Church Wall Street, Parables, Spirituals, and Our Own Stories with the Rev. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix Prison on Dec. 16, 2020, in Collegeville, Penn. Termaine Joseph Hicks exonerated after 19 years in prison - Inquirer For 19 years, Termaine Joseph Hicks maintained his innocence. When recovered, the firearm was covered in blood belonging to the victim, who was bleeding profusely when the police arrived at the scene. He also reached out to the Innocence Project. We may earn a commission from links on this page. 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. I dont serve Black people, an attendant told her. Hicks is the 16th person exonerated by the Conviction Integrity Unit since District Attorney Larry Krasner took office in 2018, and the first to be cleared of a rape. Mr. After the 5th Circuits ruling, does DACA have a future? Please enable scripts and reload this page. Finally home, Mr. Hicks said hes most proud of himself for staying strong and remaining determined to prove his innocence. 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. The United States has settled a lawsuit with 15 women who said correctional officers at a federal prison in Florida repeatedly sexually abused them. William Campbell, S.J. Both sides said it did not follow that the gun was smeared in blood, while the interior of the pocket it supposedly came from was pristine. Vinson told the court he saw Hicks attacking the woman and saw him reach for a gun. The timing was uncanny. Settlements for some of the women, some whom are currently still incarcerated there, were higher than the government had initially allocated to pay. The Innocence Project recruited high-profile forensic pathologist Michael Baden to determine the direction from which the bullets were fired at Hicks. EfM taught me how to open the box, and also how to be diplomatic., He says, EfM was a vessel. The victim had told police the attack stopped when bright lights shined on her assailant, spooking him. 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. Thank you for visiting us. His brothers Tone Hicks and Tyron McClendon greeted him upon release. 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. 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.. Then the pandemic hit. 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. I liked interacting with all of it. She said she wanted to hold the Bureau of Prisons accountable for the abuse she and others experienced. The world now knows what Hicks did and did not do. Photo: Peter Tobia. 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. Within 30 days of surrendering his appellate rights, Hicks was contacted by the Innocence Project. When Black Marxist Angela Davis found out her ancestors owned slaves. A Maryland Dumping Site Was Actually A Black Cemetery. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. He learned a lot about working with people, interpreting the Bible, and communicating faith. He was exonerated after 19 years. 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. We were all mourning. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. 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