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Walter McMillian Hearing Overview

Oct 1, 2024

Lecture Notes

Chapter 9 Overview

  • Focus on Walter McMillian's hearing and the struggle to present new evidence in his favor.
  • Key participants involved:
    • Bryan Stevenson and Michael (defense team)
    • Tom Chapman (prosecution) and Don Veleska (Assistant Attorney General).
  • Judge Thomas B. Norton Jr. presiding over the case.

Pre-Hearing Developments

  • Defense team faced hostility and reluctance from the prosecution and law enforcement.
  • Concerns about not all evidence being shared by the state.
  • Judge limited time for presenting evidence.

Preparing for the Hearing

  • Concerns about the reliability of Ralph Myers as a witness.
  • Defense team's strategy focused on presenting new and critical evidence.

Day 1 of the Hearing

  • Community support: High turnout from the local Black and poor community.
  • Opening statement emphasized the lack of evidence beyond Ralph Myers' testimony.
  • Ralph Myers testified, recanted his previous false testimony against McMillian.
  • Clay Cass testified about the modification timeline of McMillian's truck.
  • Woodrow Eichner testified about the crime scene and unethical requests to influence his testimony.

Day 2 of the Hearing

  • Continued support, though initially blocked by courtroom seating changes and security.
  • Testimonies from mental health professionals corroborated Myers' claims of being coerced.
  • Evidence highlighted improper suppression of favorable evidence by the prosecution.

Day 3 of the Hearing

  • Mrs. Williams' significant courtroom presence symbolized resilience and justice.
  • Testimonies from inmates confirmed Myers' coerced false testimony.
  • Tapes revealed police coercion of Myers.
  • Concluded with the state offering no rebuttal.

Key Evidence Presented

  • Recantation of Myers' testimony.
  • Misconduct by police and prosecutor: Coercion, false testimony, and evidence suppression.
  • Testimonies disproving physical evidence claims (e.g. truck's modification timeline).

Community and Support

  • Strong community support highlighted resilience and hope for justice.
  • Mrs. Williams' perseverance exemplified the struggle for civil rights and justice.

Conclusion and Reflections

  • Defense team felt hopeful yet cautious due to the potential backlash and threats.
  • The ongoing struggle for justice emphasized the need for persistence and courage.

These notes cover the main events and themes from the hearing as presented in the lecture, highlighting the legal struggle, community involvement, and pivotal moments that contributed to the case against Walter McMillian.

Full transcript