Our death penalty system treats you better if youre rich and guilty than if youre poor and innocent. And he had an alibi: He was at a family fish fry the morning Ronda Morrison was murdered. In 1987 Walter McMillian (played by Foxx) was convicted of killing a white woman who was shot multiple times in the back at a dry cleaners. Walter Miles McMillian's Geni Profile. Walter McMillian, left, and Bryan Stevenson, right (Photo from the Equal Justice Initiative) In 1986, an 18-year-old White woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered at Jackson Cleaners in Monroeville, Alabama. In 1988, Walter McMillian, a Black man, was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for . After six months with no leads or suspects, their attention focused on Walter McMillian. I lost my life. McMillian recalls his time there as a terrible experience. "[10], On February 23, 1993, in his fifth appeal to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, the judges ruled 50 to reverse McMillian's conviction and grant him a new trial. We are all broken by something. In his police interview, he made up all sorts of wild stories, like how the sheriff of a nearby county murdered Pittman. Little did he know that the murder of Ronda Morrison would impact his life in a major way later on.2, On June 7, 1987 at around 11:00 a.m, McMillian was peacefully driving down Route 84. American wrongly convicted of murder (19412013), According to the 1993 appeal, Judge R.E.L. They had an affair, and when Kellys husband found out, things took a turn. The best example of racial bias and prejudice is Walter McMillian's case because it shows both extreme racial biases and extreme racial prejudices against McMillian because of the color of his skin. Before Walter McMillian was released from death row. Report an error or add more information about this case. He "did not have a history of violence. He was subjected to graphic questions about the nature of his and Kellys relationship, and he left the courtroom feeling uneasy. I find it very heartbreaking that even with inconsistencies and testimonies in favor of him, that he was still condemned because of the way he looked. One of the many Alabama cases assigned to him is that of. Family History Search. After, Stevenson agrees to work with the CBS program 60 Minutes to produce a story about, an innocent man in prison until the real murderer is found. Myers was picked up for a different murder, that of a poor white woman named Vickie Pittman. [9], Further investigation revealed that McMillian's truck, supposedly seen by witnesses at the scene of the crime, had not been converted to a "low-rider" until six months after the crime took place. In a 2015 NPR interview, Stevenson described how that phone call was a "very, very bizarre start to my career and to the work that I was doing in Alabama." He suffered mentally and physically to the point where he developed early on-set dementia. "[3] Monroe County was described by The Guardian as "a remote, dirt-poor region of pine trees and bean farms". This set off a chain of events that changed Mr. McMillians life forever. Morrison, who was white, had been bludgeoned, strangled and shot three times. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. They found evidence that the States witnesses against Mr. McMillian had been coerced, including tape recordings proving that the States only eyewitness had been pressured to testify falsely at Mr. McMillians trial. It was appealed to the United States Supreme Court,[19] which ruled against McMillian, holding that a county sheriff could not be sued for monetary damages. Appellant told him that "I had a lovely family to be destroyed if I . Karen confirms that Myers never met, Stevenson describes the situation preceding, The hearing begins. He became uncharacteristically emotional. The police wouldnt buy it, and so Myers said he had information on the Morrison case. He had spoken to other inmates on death row that day, but Walter's case is the one that . The man was Russell Charley. With no leads for six months, the police focused their attention on Walter McMilllian. He knew it, his family knew it, and his friends knew it. On November 1, 1986, the body of 18-year-old part-time clerk Ronda Morrison was found under a rack of clothing at Jackson Cleaners in Monroeville, Alabama. Aside from having a misdemeanor charge from a barroom fight, he had a clean record and no other charges to his name. Myers heard popping sounds, and he found McMillian standing over the victim with a gun in his hand. The person of interest was a black man named Walter McMillian. [3] He died on September 11, 2013. And this case had given him lots of fodder. Equal Justice Initiative Walter McMillian with his family after his release from prison. A deputy then revealed to McMillian that the initial charge was only a way to impound his truck. At last, Walter McMillian was a free man again, after spending six years on death row.6, Once McMillian was free and returned to his hometown, he sought compensation. On Feb. 23, 1993, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals reversed McMillians conviction and ordered a new trial. His conviction was wrongfully obtained, based on police coercion and perjury. Walter McMillian, who was born on October 27, 1941, lived in a black settlement near Monroeville where he "grew up picking cotton. She supports and cares for her five children during Walter's incarceration. . Birthplace: GA, United States. Jamie Foxx plays Walter McMillian in the film, Just Mercy. DuBois's short story "Of the Coming of John", which he discusses on page 100-101. Despite having various witnesses on his side, it seemed useless. Sponsored by Ancestry. Subsequently, McMillian settled with other officials for an undisclosed amount. Several months later, police arrested 30-year-old Ralph Myers, a career criminal, on suspicion of murdering a woman in nearby Escambia County. McMillian later developed dementia and died in 2013, but his name lives on at the center of the criminal justice reform movement. [5][14], The two witnesses who had testified that they had seen McMillian's truck retracted their testimony, and admitted that they lied at trial, committing perjury. Please enable scripts and reload this page. He had a large, tight-knit family and several children with his wife. [2] Stevenson featured this early case of his career in a TED talk and in his memoir Just Mercy (2014). The . When Minnie became pregnant in 1962, they were married. Walter McMillian spent six years on Alabamas death row for a murder he didnt commit. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Walter McMillian was nearly put to death for a crime he did not commit One of young lawyer Stevenson's first and most incendiary cases after founding the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative was. In front of the camera, In his funeral speech, Stevenson explains that , Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. / Walter McMillian (left) celebrates with family after Bryan Stevenson won his release from death row in 1993. According to Myers, reinstated in 1975, the majority of Alabama death row inmates have been black, although when, that the practice is occurring. It is a miracle that Mr. Stevenson reviewed Mr. McMillans case, without his review, an innocent man would been put to death due to racial discrimination. Walter McMillian lived an ordinary life alongside his wife Minnie McMillian and their three children. She was shot three times in the back, and it looked like money had been taken from the cash register. This article illuminates how unfair and biased the justice system is to the minorities but also people of color. [4] According to his attorney Bryan Stevenson, McMillian purchased logging and paper mill equipment and became a "moderately successful businessman". It was clear that Myers and McMillian didnt know each other; Myers word was the sole evidence connecting McMillian to the crime. Resistance to acknowledging Mr. McMillians innocence was intense. The crime took place at the Jackson Cleaners in Monroeville. 2d 1253 (Ala.Cr. [9][5] She had been shot numerous times from behind. McMillian." McMillian had a business of his own and was an upstanding member of his community. Again, great work! . Walter was an unlikely suspect in Ronda's murder. McMillian was shocked and absolutely saddened to hear about it. Mr. McMillian was sent back to his cell on death row, where he ultimately spent six years. His trial start on Aug. 15, 1988 and lasted only a day and a half. It was a pleasure to read this article about William McMillan. Less than two years later, he was convicted of murder a murder he didnt commit. based on a true story, just mercy(2019) follows civil rights defense attorney bryan stevenson (michael b. jordan) as he recounts his experiences and details the case of a condemned death row prisoner, walter mcmillian (jamie foxx), whom he fought to free, as he becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and Tate replied, "I don't give a damn what you say or what you do. The fact that this man was innocent, and everyone knew, he was still guilty. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Hooks later testified at McMillians trial. Despite insisting he was at a church fish dry with dozens of witnesses, including a police officer, he was seen as a suspect. Suddenly, State Troopers, city cars, sheriffs, and deputies surrounded his car. I have suffered pain, agony, loss, and fear in degrees that I had never imagined possible, he testified in 1993. McMillian is portrayed by Jamie Foxx and Stevenson is played by Michael B. Jordan, the "Black Panther" star who has used his considerable leverage to bring the story to the screen. Testimony of the trial lasted a day and a half. McMillians original attorneys in the trial, J.L. Skip Ancestry main menu Main . This was adapted as an eponymous feature film, released in 2019. Tell Kellys husband called McMillian to testify in their divorce proceedings. In 1986, an 18-year-old white woman named Ronda Morrison was murdered in downtown Monroeville, Alabama. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against McMillian, holding that a county sheriff could not be sued for money damages. His time spent in prison was torture not only to McMillian but to his family and friends as well. This article was very sad and eye opening for the treatment of black men in a still prejudice south. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Southern Prisoners Defense Committee (SPDC), Voting Rights Protests of 1965 (Selma-to-Montgomery Marches). On March 3, 1993, the County District Attorney finally dismissed the charges. They convicted McMillian of first-degree murder. His sole criminal record was a suspended sentence for a bar fight. Teachers and parents! Stevenson tries to hasten, rushes to the courthouse to pick up the 35-page ruling in which the judge nullifies, Before a new trial can be scheduled, Stevenson files a motion to have all of, The morning of the hearing, Stevenson tells, A camera crew came to the U.S. to interview EJI and people theyd represented, including. Financial TimesWalter McMillian (left) and Bryan Stevenson after McMillians conviction was overturned in 1993. Margaret M (McMillan) Williams 12 Jul 1891 Ontario, Canada - 24 Jan 1932 managed by Dave Stern Susannah (McMillan) McRae 24 May 1810 Robeson, North Carolina, United States - 30 Aug 1886 managed by Rod Medders Jane (McMillan) Henderson abt 1809 Stirlingshire, Scotland, United Kingdom - abt 1859 managed by Lesley Robertson When you are poor and under sentence of death you worry about a lot of things. . Bryan Stevenson and EJI received death threats. 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