Exonerated Anthony Graves spreads hope for justice
Graves continues campaign for justice
Exonerated man shares his story in Third Ward
KENNETH WARE JR.
, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Published 05:30 a.m., Sunday, June 26, 2011
Anthony Graves
A Texas man exonerated from death row last year shared a message of hope and advocacy with the Third Ward community Sunday.
"The very system that almost took my life for something I did not do still exists. Yet I am still hopeful," Anthony Graves, 45, told a crowd at the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center.
Graves spread the same message during a recent speaking tour in Germany, France, Sweden and Switzerland.
"I went to educate people about the death penalty and the flaws of our system," said Graves, who spent 18 years behind bars, 12 of them on death row, for the murders of a grandmother and five children in Somerville.
Robert Carter, who confessed to the killings, absolved Graves of the crime in his final statement moments before his execution in 2000. He said he lied during his testimony against Graves. The federal appeals court found that the prosecution withheld statements crucial to the defense and elicited false statements from witnesses during the 1994 trial.
"Along the way I have had bumps and let-downs, but things always end up prevailing on the side of justice," said Graves, who was released in October.
Adjusting to a life of freedom has been difficult, Graves said. Technology has changed drastically and even everyday tasks like driving in rush hour can seem overwhelming.
"I have been isolated for so long," Graves said. "It took a long time for me to get used to driving in traffic."
Young people in attendance were astonished to hear Graves' story. Ja'Mel Buckner, 19, says he does not want to end up in a parallel predicament.
"This can happen to anyone, and his story should be carefully listened to by everyone," said Buckner.
Graves is set to receive $1.4 million; however, he is not exactly ecstatic about the compensation for his incarceration.
"This is a bittersweet moment," said Graves. "I did not win the lottery."
Gov. Rick Perry signed into law in-state compensation for people wrongfully imprisoned after it passed the House and Senate in May. This allows Graves to collect $80,000 for each year he was imprisoned. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs in February denied Graves the compensation because the document ordering his release did not contain the words "actual innocence."
Graves has filed a lawsuit against the Attorney General's Office.
"I want a decree from the state of Texas saying I am actually innocent," said Graves. "I have a right to have my name re-established."
kenneth.ware@chron.com