This is my ministry, he says. The officers falsely testified at trial that Mr. Hicks had lunged at them while armed with a gun that he pulled from his pocket. He served 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. Police arriving at the scene completely misread the situation, erroneously assuming Mr. Hicks was the assailant, and shot him three times in the back. Potkin said further evidence suggests police planted the gun they said they retrieved from his jacket pocket. Exculpatory post-conviction evidence was shared with the Philadelphia Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), which, under District Attorney Larry Krasner and Patricia Cummings, moved to vacate Mr. Hicks conviction yesterday based on the officers false trial testimony. They had stage fright. During that time, in the fall of 2008, Hicks joined the EfM group. 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. 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? 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. Now, Potkin said, hes focused on returning to society, building on his relationship with his son, now 24, and meeting a 2-year-old grandson for the first time. But no officers were prosecuted. 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. Hicks lawyers allege that the cover-up went well beyond the three officers. But, she added, I do feel that, one case at a time, this system is being improved.. 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. 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. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He often speaks for the Innocence Project. 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. In fact, the gun was registered as the off-duty weapon of another uniformed Philadelphia police officer. Only after did they realize their mistake Mr. Hicks was not the right person. It was in such a group at the State Correctional InstitutionGraterford, a maximum-security prison in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, that EfM group leader Ginny Slichter met Termaine Hicks for the first time. 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. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, 53, both of Tallahassee, Florida. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The police froze the crime scene and catalogued whatever was there. Twenty-seven judges had looked at my case by then, explains Hicks. WebTermaine Hicks was exonerated in December 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. When recovered, the firearm was covered in blood belonging to the victim, who was bleeding profusely when the police arrived at the scene. Twice a month, his attorney, Vanessa Potkin, would call from the Innocence Project. Prior to our interview, he had just given a talk for the Dutch Consulate at the United Nations in New York City. 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. READ MORE: Police shot a Philly man, then accused him of rape. To find an EfM group near you or learn more about EfM groups in prisons, read more here. 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. Now a free man, A judge ordered him released last year at age 49, citing evidence that police and prosecutors built their case on fabricated statements from people they coerced as witnesses and later withheld evidence pointing to the likely true perpetrators of the crime. All Rights Reserved. Dennis Zungolo, who testified he saw Hicks pulling up his pants when police arrived, were both placed on restricted duty, the spokesperson confirmed. Upon entering prison, Hicks was forced to separate from his son, who was only 5 years old at the time of his sentencing. As the case slowly made its way through the courts, she said she couldnt sleep through the night. How Black and Latino people did in this last round of redistricting. Dennis Zungolo testified against him They claim they found him raping a woman in an alley near a hospital and She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. The way that cops approach Black and brown men and women stems from years of systemic racism. Yale honors Black girl who was reported to police as she sprayed lanternfli Tyre Nichols videos join patchwork of violent police footage. We must have had 150 people in the audience, both inmates and guests, remembers Slichter. 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. What she remembered was that after bright lights appeared, the assault stopped. Dennis Zungolo have been placed on restricted duty and the identity of the third officer has not been released. Pennsylvanias statute of limitations for perjury and other relevant criminal charges bars prosecution after five years. He served 19 years for a wrongful conviction. I was writing Christian plays, engaged in independent study, and searching Scripture. In his 19 years behind bars, Hicks always maintained his innocence. He has always maintained that he arrived at the scene when he attempted to help the victim, she said. Hicks recruited other prisoners to act in the production. She couldnt clearly see her attacker in the dark, and she suffered a head injury. Shop sales in every category.Uh-oh, overstock: Wayfair put their surplus on sale for up to 50% off. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department had not provided a comment as of Wednesday afternoon. The cover up of shooting an innocent man required the false testimony of three officers and the acquiescence of a dozen more. When he was sentenced to a maximum of 25 years, he told the judge: An innocent man cant sit in jail for long. But at parole hearings, according to his lawyers, he was penalized for refusing to accept responsibility for the crime. In 2003, the Innocence Project had just 15 attorneys and could not take his case. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, Going back to the morning of the crime, the victim was not able to identify her assailant. 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. Then he pulled out the S.T.E.P.U.P. Hicks survived, but was charged with the rape and sentenced to 12 to 25 years in prison. Potkin notes that several other police officers were at the scene as Hicks was shot or shortly thereafter. All three shots struck Hicks from behind, yet Vinson said he was forced to fire because Hicks was lunging at him. 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. Four reasons a credit-card balance transfer may be a bad idea, Dont let paying for a funeral add to your grief, Beware of these pitfalls when planning your own funeral, Sheryl Lee Ralph on her historic Super Bowl act: Its just really neat, Man who died after police used Taser had warned of heart issue, video shows, Memphis officer texted a photo of bloodied Tyre Nichols, records show, Harris, in funeral address, says Tyre Nichols should have been safe. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. Dr. Mark Bozzuti-Jones, Churchwide Global Mission Conference: Journey Into Healing, Finding Home in God with Yale Professor Miroslav Volf 3-Part Online Series. One witness was threatened with arrest and the other was promised help on his own pending criminal case in exchange for falsely implicating Hollman. Zungolo, of South Detectives Division, declined an interview and referred questions to John McGrody, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. Vinson told the court he saw Hicks attacking the woman and saw him reach for a gun. It was 2012 by the time Hicks withdrew his appellate rights, which meant he would have another 13 years to serve. the $9.85 million agreement the city struck in 2018 with Anthony Wright. 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. IE 11 is not supported. EfM taught me how to open the box, and also how to be diplomatic., He says, EfM was a vessel. Hicks lawyers alleged that the cover-up went beyond the three officers. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. I was already a devoted Christian, reading my Bible daily. Step up to it!. Report an error or add more information about this case. 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. Joint Stipulation of Mr. Hicks and the Commonwealth. Attempting to reach the Supreme Court as a pro se litigant, would have been an exercise in futility so I withdrew my appellate rights. 2023 Innocence Project. 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. WebTermaine Hicks is an exoneree and IP client. The woman had During that time, Hicks worked his way through the local trial court, the appellate, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, until he only had one option remaining: the U.S. Supreme Court. Cummings said Philadelphia prosecutors would not attempt to retry the tainted case. 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. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. 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. In another, Ellis was one of a number of officers accused of beating a suspect and then arresting him for assault and resisting arrest. First, they had to show new evidence in order to ask for a new trial. He saw two men running away from a figure on the ground near a dumpster. According to the Inquirer, since 2018, 17 defendants have been exonerated in cases involving many of the same officers who led the investigations into Hollmans and Wrights cases. Visitors walked directly through the general population to the other end of the prison where the chapel was, where the classes are held. He was exonerated in 2020. Several of the same investigators who worked to convict Wright were also involved in Hollmans case. She also extended an apology to the victim, whose name was withheld. God saw fit to keep me alive. California residents do not sell my data request. 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. Termaine Hicks was convicted on rape and other charges, largely on the testimony of police officers. He was convicted and served 19 years in State Correctional Institution Phoenix, about an hour northwest of Philadelphia. The vision is to have these videos in every classroom. He turned S.T.E.P.U.P. Hicks didnt want his grandson to see him in prison. Hicks case is yet another example of the pervasive problem of police perjury in the criminal legal system. Dennis Zungolo, who was with him at the scene, did not return phone and email messages Wednesday. At the time of his arrest, Hicks was an assistant manager at a South Philadelphia Popeyes, raising a 5-year-old son. Through all the years of trials and incarceration, Hicks never lost faith. Im excited for younow go live your life manyou deserve a good one. Rev. 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. Surveillance tape from that night could reconcile her account with Hicks. Baden testified that all shots were fired from behind Hicks, so he could not have been lunging at the officer who pulled the trigger. Reached by phone Tuesday, Ellis, a crime-scene-unit officer, declined to comment or to confirm he was under investigation. On Wednesday, after 19 years incarceration, Hicks, 45, was, at last, exonerated. 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. [Sewanee School of Theology] It is well known in The Episcopal Church and beyond: Education for Ministry (EfM) changes lives. Abram Depp Settlement The farm of Abram and Lucy Depp was the first of this settlement of African Americans. Its unfortunate and sad that it took how long it took for me to clear my name.. Why are prominent Los Angeles Latinos saying such racist things? Hicks says, In the judicial system, theres something called finality that is very hard to overcome.. 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 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. Philadelphia police shot a man and accused him of rape. (Image: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for the Innocence Project). Most of those officers have since retiredas opposed to firing, charges or any semblance of actual accountabilitybut some, like those involved in Hicks case, remain on the force and have even been promoted. According to her filings, the process of constructing a cover-up began immediately. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. 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. There are no words to express what was taken from me, Hollman said in a statement after the settlement was announced. The cover up of shooting an innocent man required the false testimony of three officers and the acquiescence of a dozen more. At that moment, police, responding to the calls of several neighbors, arrived on the scene. They lied under oath to cover up for shooting an innocent man three times in the back, Innocence Project lawyer Vanessa Potkin said. On Wednesday afternoon, released from the State Correctional Institution Phoenix to his brothers home just a few miles away in Montgomery County, Hicks said he was both overjoyed and overwhelmed. 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 Wednesday, December 23, 2020, The Front Page Podcast: Pumping the Brakes, NEW: Its not polite to pretend boys can be girls, SCOTUS takes on Bidens student debt agenda. Mr. Pennsylvania is one of 15 states that does not compensate exonerees. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. He was exonerated It was dark, and she suffered a head trauma during the assault. Termaine Hicks (Photo: Jason E. Miczek for AP/Innocence Project), Support The National Registry of Exonerations , The Contribution of Forensic and Expert Evidence to DNA Exoneration Cases, Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, 2022, Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent, Witness Recantations: Preliminary Findings, May 2013, Exonerations in the United States: 1989 - 2012, Tell us about an Exoneration that we missed, Other Philadelphia, Pennsylvania exonerations. And join us in making this a hate-speech free and safe space for everyone go live your manyou. Ask for a gun trial that Mr. Hicks was going home been released going home Attorney for Innocence. Attempt to retry the tainted case trauma during the assault group near you or learn more about EfM groups prisons! Of systemic racism saw him reach for a new trial District of Florida rights which! Had lunged at them while armed with a gun phone and email messages Wednesday, they had to new. 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