My Alphabetical Biography List: Carter, Rubin - 60s boxer wrongly convicted of murder
"Hurricane : The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter," by James S. Hirsch
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was a boxer in the 60s. Always having had altercations with the law, he (and by default a clean-cut acquaintance of his, John Artis) was an easy target when the police were looking for two black men who gunned down 4 white people in a bar, then drove off in a white car. Small problem - the only real evidence against them was that they were two black men in a white car. They didn't match the description of the shooters (the two victims who survived [one of whom died a month later]) specifically said it was not them, there was absolutely no motive, and there was no real evidence connecting them to the murders.
The case, of course, went before a white judge and a white jury, and the men were convicted. Some of my favorite arguments from the prosecution were that the character witnesses clearly didn't know the men, since they didn't know they were capable of murder; and that the testimony of the two key witnesses (who amazingly enough were white crooks who then got off easy in their own cases) was true because it was conflicting (had they been lying they would've rehearsed it and thus would be consistent with each other and themselves).
Carter and Artis were convicted and sentenced to multiple lives in prison. After more than twenty years and numerous appeals (eventually to federal court), they were exonerated.
For the first halfish of his time in prison, Carter was bitter and tough, and basically filled with malice toward all. After awhile, however, he came to realize that that was getting him nowhere, and he strove toward enlightenment. He came to find a sort of peace, but sadly I think that even the author knew it wasn't complete (whether or not the author is a Believer I don't know, but either way you could sense he knew something was lacking).
Carter had a difficult time adjusting to normal life at first, but it seems like overall he's done well. He has taken up the cause for other wrongly convicted people, and it sounds like that is his focus more than the bitterness of losing 22 years of his life.
I saw the movie "The Hurricane" years ago, and remember thinking it was good, but I don't remember much beyond that (except that it has Denzel and Liev). I couldn't even have told you the guy's name. It's now on hold for me at the library, and I look forward to watching it again, knowing more of the story. Hopefully I'll like it more, not less. But if not, it's 2 hours of Denzel, so it's all good.
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was a boxer in the 60s. Always having had altercations with the law, he (and by default a clean-cut acquaintance of his, John Artis) was an easy target when the police were looking for two black men who gunned down 4 white people in a bar, then drove off in a white car. Small problem - the only real evidence against them was that they were two black men in a white car. They didn't match the description of the shooters (the two victims who survived [one of whom died a month later]) specifically said it was not them, there was absolutely no motive, and there was no real evidence connecting them to the murders.
The case, of course, went before a white judge and a white jury, and the men were convicted. Some of my favorite arguments from the prosecution were that the character witnesses clearly didn't know the men, since they didn't know they were capable of murder; and that the testimony of the two key witnesses (who amazingly enough were white crooks who then got off easy in their own cases) was true because it was conflicting (had they been lying they would've rehearsed it and thus would be consistent with each other and themselves).
Carter and Artis were convicted and sentenced to multiple lives in prison. After more than twenty years and numerous appeals (eventually to federal court), they were exonerated.
For the first halfish of his time in prison, Carter was bitter and tough, and basically filled with malice toward all. After awhile, however, he came to realize that that was getting him nowhere, and he strove toward enlightenment. He came to find a sort of peace, but sadly I think that even the author knew it wasn't complete (whether or not the author is a Believer I don't know, but either way you could sense he knew something was lacking).
Carter had a difficult time adjusting to normal life at first, but it seems like overall he's done well. He has taken up the cause for other wrongly convicted people, and it sounds like that is his focus more than the bitterness of losing 22 years of his life.
I saw the movie "The Hurricane" years ago, and remember thinking it was good, but I don't remember much beyond that (except that it has Denzel and Liev). I couldn't even have told you the guy's name. It's now on hold for me at the library, and I look forward to watching it again, knowing more of the story. Hopefully I'll like it more, not less. But if not, it's 2 hours of Denzel, so it's all good.
posted by melilotnfosco | 6:07 PM
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