The Sun Does Shine Summary

“How can anyone mistake justice for vengeance? The two are as different as night and day—and I was about to live proof of that difference.”

1. A Childhood Shaped by Racial Discrimination

Growing up Black in Alabama during the 1970s meant living under the shadow of racism. Anthony Ray Hinton experienced this harsh reality from a young age. His mother warned him to avoid being confrontational, stay polite, and navigate situations to protect himself from hostility.

Hinton's experiences were layered with systemic oppression. When segregation ended, Black people gained new opportunities, but the societal resentment toward this progress was palpable. Moments of violence—like church bombings—and everyday prejudices, such as biased treatment in public places, reminded Hinton of his place in a still-segregated community.

Despite these challenges, Hinton had a mostly happy childhood. His mother’s guidance and his own resilience made him feel invincible in some ways. However, his youthful rebellion for independence—like stealing a car for transportation—led to early encounters with the justice system, setting a tone for the struggles ahead.

Examples

• Hinton's mother warned him about interacting with white girls, reflecting societal fears for Black men.
• Racism followed him even in sports; his basketball game celebrations were overshadowed by racial slurs.
• A church bombing kept him and other children at home in fear, revealing the violence tied to racial hatred.

2. Wrongfully Arrested for Murder

In 1985, Hinton’s life changed forever when he was arrested for crimes he did not commit. While mowing his mother’s lawn, police approached and arrested him without clear evidence linking him to the murders he was accused of.

The investigation was riddled with bias. At the police station, Hinton faced overt racism from officers who admitted they did not care whether he was guilty. Hinton’s mother’s old gun became central to his conviction despite its irrelevance, and a flawed photo identification process further sealed his fate.

Although Hinton had an unshakable alibi—he was at work during one of the crimes—justice was not served. The police and prosecution shaped a story tailored to convict him simply because he was a Black man at the wrong place and time.

Examples

• A police officer told Hinton outright, “You’re going to be convicted because you are Black.”
• Smotherman’s identification of Hinton was compromised since the police told him that Hinton was a suspect.
• The gun from Hinton’s mother’s home, unused for decades, was claimed—wrongly—to match the bullets from the crime.

3. An Innocent Man Convicted

Hinton’s faith in the justice system shattered as his trial revealed deep prejudice and negligence. His court-appointed lawyer didn’t believe in his innocence and was unprepared to mount an adequate defense.

Key aspects of the evidence were mishandled. His lawyer lacked resources to hire competent forensic experts, and the expert they did hire was discredited due to his limited capabilities and credibility. Witness accounts were skewed, and systemic racism manipulated the jury’s perceptions.

The trial’s outcome was swift and devastating. In just a few hours, the jury declared Hinton guilty. His sentence: death. With his life in the balance, Hinton entered a bleak chapter of isolation and injustice.

Examples

• Hinton’s lawyer openly doubted him, saying, “Y’all always say you’re innocent.”
• The so-called expert witness against him admitted he didn’t know how to use the forensic microscope properly.
• The jury—composed entirely of white members—took less than an hour to decide his death sentence.

4. Life in the Shadow of Death

Hinton’s life on death row was marked by indignity and deprivation. Locked in a tiny cell measuring just seven by five feet, he battled with despair and dehumanization at every turn.

Prison routine was equally harsh. Food was inedible, showers were cold and hurried, and sleep was nearly impossible amid rats and unsettling sounds of fellow inmates crying. Even basic human dignity was stripped away as mental and emotional torment loomed constantly.

For three years, Hinton spoke to no one, retreating into silence. Hope for a swift appeal died when his conviction was reaffirmed. Solitary confinement tested his limits, but he slowly began emerging from his internal withdrawal.

Examples

• Breakfast came at 3 a.m. and consisted of tasteless powdered eggs and stale biscuits.
• Showers were brief, cold or scalding hot, and monitored by guards, removing any sense of privacy.
• At night, anguished screams and scuttling rats made sleeping in peace a distant memory.

5. The Haunting Reality of Execution

The electric chair was a constant presence for Hinton and other inmates. He witnessed the emotional toll executions took on prisoners, especially during the month leading up to each death day.

One poignant experience was the execution of his neighbor, Michael Lindsey. The process began with guards rehearsing and practicing their lethal routine—a surreal and cruel ritual for a man whose life was about to end. Fellow inmates made noise in solidarity, hoping to bring comfort to the condemned prisoner.

The physical and psychological proximity to death left lasting scars on Hinton. The smell of burning flesh, the flickering lights as the chair’s generator charged—these visceral details stayed with him, a macabre reminder of his potential fate.

Examples

• Guards rehearsed mock executions in front of inmates, adding to their dread.
• Prisoners screamed and rattled their cages to show solidarity during executions.
• Lindsey’s anguished crying for weeks before his death deeply affected Hinton.

6. Finding Common Ground Among Inmates

Death row was a microcosm of human complexity. Hinton met individuals like Henry Hays, a former KKK member guilty of lynching a Black man. Through dialogue, Hinton realized even the most hateful could reflect and change.

Hays admitted that his parents’ teachings of hate were wrong, sparking a transformative friendship. Hinton treated everyone with compassion despite their crimes, recognizing shared humanity above all.

This surprising unity on death row helped Hinton understand that empathy transcends differences. While the outside world was divided, death row reminded him that struggling spirits share a common fight against despair.

Examples

• Hays introduced Hinton to his parents, declaring him a “best friend” to break barriers.
• Inmates bonded despite their racial and social disparities through everyday conversations.
• Hays’s eventual execution profoundly saddened Hinton, marking the loss of a reformed individual.

7. Escape Through Imagination

Trapped physically, Hinton discovered freedom in his mind. Through vivid daydreams, he traveled to London, won tennis championships, and married celebrities. His imagination proved an invaluable coping mechanism for the hardships of prison life.

Hinton’s creativity extended beyond himself. He founded a book club for fellow inmates, giving them a sense of intellectual escape. Books offered a portal out of their grim circumstances and sparked discussions filled with passion and insight.

This mental escape showed that even in the darkest places, people could find light. Hinton’s resourcefulness gave himself and others a renewed sense of purpose, fostering small joys amidst despair.

Examples

• In one fantasy, Hinton had tea with the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace.
• His death-row book club allowed isolated men to share thoughts and learn together.
• Members left an empty chair for a deceased inmate during meetings to honor his memory.

8. Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Justice

Bryan Stevenson, a passionate lawyer and activist, took on Hinton’s case in 1998 and worked tirelessly for his freedom. Stevenson's persistence uncovered flawed evidence and systemic bias that had led to Hinton's conviction.

Stevenson proved that critical evidence, like the ballistics examination linking Hinton to the crime, was incorrect. He found experts who unanimously testified that Hinton's mother's gun was not the murder weapon. Yet, overcoming Alabama’s resistance to admitting errors required immense effort.

For 16 years, Stevenson fought uphill battles in courtrooms and appealed tirelessly. Ultimately, his perseverance paved the path for Hinton's road to freedom, proving the power of dedicated legal advocacy.

Examples

• Stevenson highlighted how witnesses were pressured to identify Hinton falsely.
• His team discovered that original trial experts had inaccurately testified about firearm matches.
• Stevenson argued at the Supreme Court, ensuring unanimous acknowledgment of Hinton's inadequate defense.

9. Walking Free After 30 Years

In April 2015, after nearly 30 years of wrongful imprisonment, Hinton finally walked out of prison. His charges were quietly dropped, and he stepped into a world that had changed completely.

Freedom brought challenges. Hinton grappled with living in a society that had moved on without him. He felt unsafe, kept meticulous records of his whereabouts, and carried the psychological weight of decades lost.

Yet Hinton emerged with a commitment to forgiveness. He forgave those who wronged him, including the prosecutors and judges who sent him to death row. His faith in humanity and love for life remained intact, inspiring others to hold onto hope.

Examples

• Hinton wore a suit his lawyer bought for his release, symbolizing a fresh start.
• He slept on the bathroom floor his first night home, as its dimensions mirrored his cell and felt familiar.
• Despite instrumental injustice, he forgave those responsible, choosing compassion over bitterness.

Takeaways

1. Retain hope and believe in yourself even in the darkest situations. Hinton’s story is a testament to the power of persistence and optimism.
2. Educate yourself to find freedom in any situation. Books and imagination helped Hinton survive years in solitary confinement.
3. Practice forgiveness to release yourself from the weight of grudges. By forgiving those who wronged him, Hinton found peace and joy despite his ordeal.