Anthony Graves is grateful for his freedom and a donation from anti-death penalty group the Texas Moratorium Network. The donation is to help him start a new life.
“This is about humanity coming forward so I am very grateful for that,” Graves said. “It's a bigger picture than the check that has been written, so I am very grateful for the show of humanity.”
The donation is a token, compared what Graves could receive from the State.
He was wrongfully convicted of the 1992 murders of a family of six in the Central Texas town of Sommerville.
Graves' conviction was based solely on testimony from the real killer, Robert Earl Carter, who recanted before he was executed in 2000. Journalism students from The University of St. Thomas in Houston later conducted research that would lead to Graves' freedom. The State could now give Graves 1.5M dollars for his ordeal.
“I was basically kidnapped by the criminal justice system and put on Texas Death Row,” Graves says.
Texas executes more inmates than any other state in the nation. It is also the most generous state when it comes to compensating the wrongly convicted. Last year the Texas Legislature increased the amount to 80,000 dollars for each year of wrongful imprisonment. And just this month, the IRS ruled that it will no longer collect income tax on such compensation.
“I had an intense 18 years of living because of an injustice, so this one-point-four million is a small number, compared to what I've had to give up.”
Graves says he won't give up on getting justice for himself. He is going back to court next week. This time, it is to ask the judge to begin the legal process of getting what the State says he's due.
As part of his compensation, the State could also give Graves a free, four-year college education. He says he wants to study communication, and become an advocate for others like himself.
As part of his compensation, the State could also give Graves a free, four-year college education. He says he wants to study communication, and become an advocate for others like himself.
Man freed from death row receives donations for a new life
Anthony Graves (left) said reality is just starting to set in 3 weeks after his release from death row.
The 45-year-old Texan has spent the past month reacquainting with family members, eating barbequed ribs and looking forward to his first Thanksgiving as a free man in 18 years.
He insists he holds no grudges against the people who sent him to death row for crimes authorities now say he did not commit and wants to focus his efforts on mending "a broken justice system."
"I'm getting past that phase of the shock and surreal feelings I was having when I first got out," Graves said Nov. 20 outside his sister's Pflugerville home. "It's starting to feel like home again."
On a sunny winter day, 6 representatives from a coalition of anti-death penalty groups presented Graves with $3,000 in donations to help him start a new life.
Graves was convicted in the gruesome 1992 murders of six people in Somerville based on the testimony of Robert Carter, the father of one of the victims and the investigation's main suspect, who later recanted.
Graves was awaiting retrial when the new prosecutors handling his case declared him innocent, dropped all charges and accused the prosecutor who had first convicted him of prosecutorial misconduct. He was released from the Burleson County jail Oct. 27, becoming the 12th person exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and sent to Texas death row.
He spent a total of 18 years behind bars—12 of those on death row. It was an experience Graves described as "hell."
"Whatever hell is to you, that's what it is," he said.
Scott Cobb, president of Texas Moratorium Network, said he and other TMN members were so moved by Graves' story that they wanted to help. Within 24 hours, they exceeded their goal of raising $1,000. After two weeks, the group had received $3,000 in donations.
Graves, who was given only a few hundred dollars upon his release, said the donations will help pay for initial necessities like food, clothing and health care. He is seeking $1.4 million in compensation from the state, but said his main focus is sharing his story.
"I left good people behind [on death row] and some of them were innocent. My hope is to join up with a group and speak about my experiences," Graves said. "I want to be part of a solution."
Cobb said he hopes Graves will play a critical role in advocating for reform when the Texas Legislature convenes in January.
Graves, who has been living with family members in Brenham and Pflugerville, said he is enjoying time with his family and adapting to a new, technology-driven world. He is still learning how to use a cell phone.
Eventually he hopes to go to school for a communications degree to help him better articulate his message. This Thanksgiving, Graves said, he has a lot to be thankful for.
"I'm thankful for freedom. I'm thankful for those who stood up for justice," Graves said. "And I'm thankful to be alive."
If any members of the public wish to donate to help Graves, donations can be sent to:
Texas Moratorium Network, 3616 Far West Blvd., Ste. 117, Box 251, Austin. Donations can also be made online with a credit card on the TMN blog at http://stopexecutions.blogspot.com. Donations to TMN are not tax deductible.
People can make tax deductible donations on the Texas Death Penalty Education and Resource Center website: www.texasdeathpenalty.org.
Source: Community Impact, November 21, 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment