Equal Justice Initiative

Innocent people released from death row, including two people assisted by EJI, attend a Chicago conference on innocence and the death penalty. EJI Director Bryan Stevenson gave the keynote address.

Since 1973, nearly 130 people have been released from death row after evidence of their innocence was uncovered. For every 8 people executed in this country, one innocent person has been exonerated.

Seven people have been exonerated in Alabama. Walter McMillian, Randall Padgett, Gary Drinkard, Louis Griffin, Wesley Quick, James Cochran, and Charles Bufford are among those found not guilty of the crimes that originally put them on Alabama's death row. The astounding error rate in capital punishment is a serious indictment against the death penalty.

Since its inception, EJI has obtained relief for dozens of death row prisoners who were illegally convicted or sentenced to death. EJI represents condemned prisoners on death row, the incarcerated who have been sentenced to excessive and harsh terms of imprisonment, children sentenced to adult prisons, the mentally ill and others who have been unfairly or unreliably convicted. In 2006, EJI won freedom for several people who had been sentenced to life imprisonment with no parole for non-violent drug offenses or other petty crimes. EJI has won relief for a mentally retarded man who was wrongfully sentenced to death and is defending dozens of poor people who have been sentenced to death and denied adequate legal assistance which resulted in wrongful convictions.

News

Alabama Supreme Court to Review Anthony Ray Hinton Case

November 27, 2007The Alabama Supreme Court on November 19, 2007, agreed to review Anthony Ray Hinton's case. Mr. Hinton has been on Alabama's death row for over 20 years for crimes he did not commit. Evidence demonstrating Mr. Hinton's innocence was presented in court in 2002, but the Court of Criminal Appeals denied relief in a 3-2 decision in 2006.

EJI Screens "Death in Dixie"

September 13, 2007EJI hosted a premiere screening of the film Death in Dixie, which examines race and capital punishment in Alabama, followed by a discussion featuring legislators, judges, local ministers, and former Alabama death row prisoners Walter McMillian and James “Bo” Cochran, who were exonerated after spending over 25 years combined on death row for crimes they did not commit. Contact us to arrange a screening of the film for area colleges and community groups. (more)