But, he added: Its unfortunate and sad that it took how long it took for me to clear my name. In 2003, he was sentenced to 12.5 to 25 years in prison. Wow you are a hero.and a very blessed man. I could have just disappeared, but I want to be on the front lines. Twice a month, his attorney, Vanessa Potkin, would call from the Innocence Project. Then I was invited to EfM by an usher in the church. 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. She also extended an apology to the victim, whose name was withheld. Now a free man, Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Again, no gray hoodie was found. At one point, Mr. Hicks was considered for parole, but was ultimately denied because he refused to admit guilt, and continued to maintain his innocence. They had stage fright. Chester Hollman III was 21, with no criminal record and a job as an armored-car driver, when he was pulled over in Center City one night in 1991 and charged with the fatal shooting of a University of Pennsylvania student in a botched street robbery. But, she added, I do feel that, one case at a time, this system is being improved.. 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. It was hard to maintain sanity.. How Education for Ministry changed Termaine Hicks life Trinity Episcopal Church Call: 304-263-0994 Address: 200 West King St, Martinsburg, WV Online Digital Services Donate Home About Trinity Worship Parish Life News & Events Contact Us Trinity Episcopal Church > Church > How Education for Ministry changed Termaine Hicks life Hicks case is yet another example of the pervasive problem of police perjury in the criminal legal system. 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. EfM gave me the skills, and this is my gift back to the world. 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. Listen: Stories about Black men spending years and even decades behind bars for crimes they didnt. Heres what that means. We must have had 150 people in the audience, both inmates and guests, remembers Slichter. Most of these kids had made a single mistake, he says, often as the result of bullying, and their entire lives were disrupted. 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. He also reached out to the Innocence Project. Then, he said he shot Hicks in the chest or stomach. Going back to the morning of the crime, the victim was not able to identify her assailant. The Innocence Project is affiliated with Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. But the prosecutors who reworked the case now say at least some of the testimony against Hicks was not true. Hicks lawyers allege that the cover-up went well beyond the three officers. 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. In addition to the Innocence Project, Mr. Hicks is represented by local counsel Susan Lin of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing, Feinberg & Lin LLP. She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. Sometimes it comes out in the spiritual autobiography, but we dont ask. At the time of his arrest, Hicks was an assistant manager at a South Philadelphia Popeyes, raising a 5-year-old son. For the most accurate data, please search on the Detailed View page. 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?. 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. scripts he had written while incarcerated. I dont serve Black people, an attendant told her. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Zungolo, of South Detectives Division, declined an interview and referred questions to John McGrody, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. They were happy for me, banging on doors, he said. When Hicks nudged her, she did not move. We empower youth to use their voice to prevent bullying and violence, says Hicks about his presentations at schools. 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. The Philadelphia police did not immediately return a request for comment on the case, but Anthony Erace, the executive director of the Police Advisory Commission, told the Inquirer he would seek a review of the investigation. Its not the closure I wanted but its still closure., The 15 women suing said officers had sexually assaulted and abused them for years. 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. Witnesses also testified that they had seen a man in a gray hoodie attack the woman, according to court records. Website by MADEO. 2023 Innocence Project. 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. Now, under the scrutiny of a new investigation, the case against Hicks has fallen apart. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. 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. We welcome new information from any source about exonerations already on our list and about cases not in the Registry that might be exonerations. Hicks didnt want his grandson to see him in prison. All Rights Reserved. One of the bullets that entered the back of his arm lodged in his chest, collapsing a lung and requiring emergency surgery. After his dramatic exoneration and release from prison, Hicks spent six months just trying to ease back into society. Termaine Joseph Hicks, 45, was freed from prison in Philadelphia on Wednesday He was jailed in 2001 after cops Marvin Vinson and Dennis Zungolo testified against him In fact, he'd run to the woman's aid when he heard her screaming and the real rapist ran away Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix Prison Tuesday, Dec.16, 2020 in Collegeville, Penn. 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. Hicks was released from a state prison outside Philadelphia on Wednesday. Until then, he just wants to spend time with his family as a free person. 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. Gutirrez, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, and other visitors from outside the prison to the performance. To find an EfM group near you or learn more about EfM groups in prisons, read more here. But there was no gray hoodie among Hickss clothes that were turned over to police after he was treated for gunshot wounds in the hospital. All three shots struck Hicks from behind, yet Vinson said he was forced to fire because Hicks was lunging at him. The other guys on the [cell] block were shouting. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix on Wednesday after a wrongful incarceration of 19 years. Thank you for visiting us. At that moment, police, responding to the calls of several neighbors, arrived on the scene. She tried to get gas. 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. According to her filings, the process of constructing a cover-up began immediately. He said he felt the amount given to his clients was fair. 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. WebThe 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 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. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Judges denied Hickss requests for a new trial until this year. 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. 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. Only Jesus can do this.you are blessed. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, By Associated Press - Thank you for visiting us. Is Wakanda Forever too woke for Marvels own good? Mr. He said come sit, check it out. Hicks went to one session as a guest and was intrigued by the concept. 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. When Black Marxist Angela Davis found out her ancestors owned slaves. Now, he hopes to produce work for the wider community, including a play about his own life and performances inspired by the oldheads who shared their wisdom over decades in prison. We were all mourning. It was before dawn on Nov. 27, 2001, and Termaine Joseph Hicks was at the wrong place at precisely the wrong time. It was 2012 by the time Hicks withdrew his appellate rights, which meant he would have another 13 years to serve. He wrote and directed 12 plays in prison. The things that are promised to citizens should be delivered: a fair trial, and a fair look at whats being presented.. During his 19 years in prison, Hicks noticed how new inmates entering into the penitentiary were younger and younger. They lied under oath to cover up for shooting an innocent man three times in the back, Innocence Project lawyer Vanessa Potkin said. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. 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. December can be a busy month for exonerations, as prosecutors and defense attorneys try to wrap up cases before the end of the year. Latino leaders could collaborate with Black communities. It was brutal for the guys in the penitentiary. Recent forensic examinations by the chief medical examiner for the City of Philadelphia and an independent medical examiner conclusively prove that the officer shot Mr. Hicks three times in the back with one bullet entering near his spine, one in his buttock, and one in the back of his right arm. The latest Tweets from Termaine Hicks (@TermaineHicks). 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. 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. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, Mr. False testimony was used, said Patricia Cummings, chief of the Conviction Integrity Unit, the Inquirer reported. (Philadelphia, PA December 17, 2020) Termaine Hicks walked out of Pennsylvania prison SCI Phoenix yesterday. How Black and Latino people did in this last round of redistricting. Theres plenty of us who would give him help. Pennsylvanias statute of limitations for perjury and other relevant criminal charges bars prosecution after five years. The United States has settled a lawsuit with 15 women who said correctional officers at a federal prison in Florida repeatedly sexually abused them. Vinson and then-partner Sgt. Termaine Joseph Hicks was freed from prison in Philadelphia on Wednesday after serving 19 of 25 years on a trumped up conviction Hicks, now 45, was jailed in 2001 after Philadelphia cops Marvin Vinson and Sgt. As he was sentenced, Hicks told the judge: an innocent man cant sit in jail for long. Hicks 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.. California residents do not sell my data request. Along the way I found a hidden talent, he says. 21, 2020. 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. I could have been paralyzed; there are still fragments of that bullet near my spine. I do feel that, one case at a time, this system is being improved.. Determined to make my dreams come true He was exonerated after 19 years. Im excited for younow go live your life manyou deserve a good one. 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. Mr. Hicks, an Innocence Project client, was wrongly convicted of a rape that took place in Philadelphia in 2001. However, the court filings detail the role of Officer Robert Ellis, who testified at trial that he had recovered a .38-caliber Taurus from Hicks right jacket pocket. 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. Settlements for some of the women, some whom are currently still incarcerated there, were higher than the government had initially allocated to pay. The footage then shows a delivery van arriving, the flash of its headlights flooding the alley. He was sentenced to 12 and to 25 years in prison. 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. That matched other witness statements that the attacker wore a gray hoodie, while Hicks coat had no hood. Website by MADEO. In another, Ellis was one of a number of officers accused of beating a suspect and then arresting him for assault and resisting arrest. Im a playwright, Hicks says. A reporter at the Inquirer since 2013, I cover issues of identity, race, social justice, as well as prisons and the legal system. The Innocence Project, which is affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, took on Mr. Hicks case in 2011. As he was reaching for his cellphone to dial 911, the police suddenly arrived, shot him in the back and charged him unjustly. 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. 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. A police spokesperson said the DA provided details on the allegations only after Hicks case was resolved. Immediately, Hicks appealed. In 2015, Mr. Hicks came up for parole, but because he continued to assert his innocence he was denied, and not considered again. His brothers Tone Hicks and Tyron McClendon greeted him upon release. During that time, in the fall of 2008, Hicks joined the EfM group. 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. Hicks lawyers alleged that the cover-up went beyond the three officers. Hearing a scream pierce the darkness, he ran toward Dunkin Donuts and Saint Agnes Hospital. We dont ask the men what theyre in for, Slichter says. Officer Martin Vinson, who testified that he fired because Hicks was reaching for a gun and lunging toward him, and his then-partner Sgt. Wanting to reach young people before fateful decisions are made, he began to produce videos on gun violence and bullying. He was arraigned while handcuffed to a hospital bed. All Rights Reserved. The spokesperson declined to confirm the identity of the third officer under investigation. In 2001, Mr. Hicks came to the aid of a woman screaming in an alley. 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 Photo: Jason E. Miczek/AP Images for The Innocence Project. But Hicks has always told a different story: He ran into the alley to help the woman when he heard her scream. 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