In 2003, the Innocence Project had just 15 attorneys and could not take his case. 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. 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. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Doug Harper at (850) 488 The woman had Police disciplinary records are currently kept confidential in. 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. He said its a sentiment other correctional officers share. We were all mourning. Termaine Hicks was released from SCI Phoenix Prison on Dec. 16, 2020, in Collegeville, Penn. There were moments, but I did not give up, he said. 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. A spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office declined to comment on whether it would pursue action against the officers. Again, no gray hoodie was found. There are no words to express what was taken from me, Hollman said in a statement after the settlement was announced. McGrody did not return calls Tuesday. He was exonerated in 2020. 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. Inmates were sick, some were dying. First, they had to show new evidence in order to ask for a new trial. 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. Termaine Hicks walked out of Pennsylvania prison SCI Phoenix last week. However, police did not disclose the surveillance footage until after the trial. 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. He said come sit, check it out. Hicks went to one session as a guest and was intrigued by the concept. Dennis Zungolo testified against him They claim they found him raping a woman in an alley near a hospital and The U.S. Supreme Court hears fewer than 1% of criminal cases that it is asked to review. You can learn more about how we consider cases here. 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. Officer Martin Vinson, who testified that he fired because Hicks was reaching for a gun and lunging toward him, and his then-partner Sgt. She said she wanted to hold the Bureau of Prisons accountable for the abuse she and others experienced. 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. 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. But the surveillance footage was not provided to Hicks or his lawyers until after his trial had concluded. Termaine Joseph Hicks exonerated after 19 years in prison - Inquirer California residents do not sell my data request. Philadelphia police officer Marvin Vinson arrived on the scene with his partner, Sgt. 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. In a first, House Democrats elected a Black leader. Press "Enter" or click on the arrow to show results. Termaine Hicks was convicted on rape and other charges, largely on the testimony of police officers. Everything slowed down, says Hicks. I dont serve Black people, an attendant told her. False testimony was used, and I believe its impossible to say that did not contribute to the conviction.. When you have a circumstance where at a minimum misconduct is discovered, and at a maximum potential criminal behavior is possible, its got to be examined.. 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. WebAfter doing time in prison for a crime he did not commit, Termaine Hicks wrote Step Up, a series of educational videos to teach conflict resolution and critical thinking, to help combat Philadelphias gun violence crisis. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Three of the women received $1.26 million between them, said their lawyer, James DeMiles. She also extended an apology to the victim, whose name was withheld. IE 11 is not supported. The Philadelphia District Attorneys Office recently concluded much of the testimony against Hicks was false.Dec. WebTermaine Hicks was exonerated on December 16, 2020 after 19 years of wrongful incarceration. After they covered it up, he was wrongly convicted of attacking her. also offers motivational speaking and training in schools, teaching positive decision-making, how to recognize bullying, and how to communicate with peers who carry guns, sell drugs, or who drink and drive. As he reached for his cell phone to call 911, two police officers ran to the scene. WebOn February 27, 2003, Hicks was sentenced to between 12 and 25 years in prison. us about an exoneration that we may have missed, Correct an error or add information about an exoneration 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. 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. The lawsuit contended that Bureau of Prisons officers at Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Sumter County sexually abused female inmates for years and threatened the women if they didnt comply. Attempting to reach the Supreme Court as a pro se litigant, would have been an exercise in futility so I withdrew my appellate rights. They shot him three times in the back. EfM taught me how to open the box, and also how to be diplomatic., He says, EfM was a vessel. Wow you are a hero.and a very blessed man. Why are prominent Los Angeles Latinos saying such racist things? The spokesperson declined to confirm the identity of the third officer under investigation. He saw two men running away from a figure on the ground near a dumpster. But the prosecutors who reworked the case now say at least some of the testimony against Hicks was not true. Joseph Tremaine Hicks, his lawyer said, is going to be returned to something that he should have had when police encountered him the presumption of innocence.. You cant be in this box when it comes to God and religion, he says. WebTermaine Hicks is an exoneree and IP client. Police disciplinary records are currently kept confidential in nearly half of states, including Pennsylvania. Mr. 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. Then a 26-year-old father of one, Mr. Hicks had been walking home when he heard a woman screaming. Hicks served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. WebSettlement Agreement. Only after did they realize their mistake Mr. Hicks was not the right person. 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. According to the Inquirer, Hollmans attorneys said he was targeted by police only because he was a Black man driving a white SUV that matched the description of the one seen fleeing the scene of a shooting that killed Penn student Tae-Jung Ho in August 1991. Then they began to let us out againbut only for 15 minutes a day. Jason E. Miczek / AP Images for The Innocence Project. 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.. Pennsylvania is one of 15 states that does not compensate exonerees. Rev. One witness was threatened with arrest and the other was promised help on his own pending criminal case in exchange for falsely implicating Hollman. A police spokesperson said the DA provided details on the allegations only after Hicks case was resolved. Wanting to reach young people before fateful decisions are made, he began to produce videos on gun violence and bullying. The website is updated daily, frequently with exonerations that occurred in the past. Police shot a Philly man, then accused him of rape. Its not the closure I wanted but its still closure., The 15 women suing said officers had sexually assaulted and abused them for years. 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. It was founded in 2012 in conjunction with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law. after a wrongful incarceration for 19 years. But, she added, I do feel that, one case at a time, this system is being improved.. She said Hicks had gone to the victim to render aid. 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. Vinson and Zungolo remain employed by the department. One of the bullets that entered the back of his arm lodged in his chest, collapsing a lung and requiring emergency surgery. 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. EfM gave me the skills, and this is my gift back to the world. Then he pulled out the S.T.E.P.U.P. It was ready to take his case. She began taking medication to try to help. 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. 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