“I’m looking forward to the rest of my life.”
Reading those words from Anthony Graves gave me chills. The fact that he spent 18 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit is unthinkable, and the challenges of adjusting to the free world seem daunting. Yet by all accounts, Graves is handling his newfound freedom with the same grace and courage he demonstrated throughout his years in prison.
There’s been a great deal of media coverage in the wake of Graves’ exoneration last week:
Read an update from Pamela Colloff, whose article in the October 2010 issue of Texas Monthly shed important light on this case.
Read an account of how Graves learned he was a free man in The Bryan College Station Eagle, (“Freedom ‘heaven’ for Graves,” October 31, 2010).
An article in the Houston Chronicle, “A mother always knows,” (October 30, 2010) addresses the toll that Graves’ wrongful conviction took on his family, who stood by him throughout his ordeal.
Another interesting article in the Chronicle offers insights from three other men who used to be on Texas’ death row, “Life after death row” (October 30,2010). Graves is now the 12th person in Texas to be exonerated from death row, and the 139th nationwide.
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Please help TCADP spread the word about the flaws and failures of our state’s death penalty system by sharing information about Anthony Graves with everyone you know!
- Download a fact sheet on Graves for use at tabling events or other public education opportunities.
- Post the links above on your Facebook page.
- Submit a letter to the editor or add online comments in response to these articles.
- Contact TCADP for more ideas!