The long title of this book is The Sun Does Shine: An Innocent Man, A Wrongful Conviction, And The Long Path To Justice. This non-fiction book tells the story of Author Ray Hinton, a Black man wrongly accused of murder in Alabama some 30 years ago. Throughout the course of his story we see how racism and the United States "justice" system is able to work together to put people behind bars - even send them to death row - regardless of the facts presented (and not presented), and the holes in a criminal case.
Hinton's story is difficult to read. How can we, as readers, understand the reality of being in prison, as days turn into weeks turn into months turn into years. I don't think we can fully comprehend what that would be like. Add to that struggle the knowledge of being innocent, as it was finally proven that Hinton was, after more than half his lifetime spent on death row. Death Row prisoners are in prison knowing that at some point the judicial system will put them to death. Hinton's "crime" was being a Black man in Alabama when a murder occurred, and the police needed to find someone to blame.
The book starts off slowly, full of moments when Hinton talks about being innocent and putting his faith in God, but for a while these confessions fall a little short because, as a reader, we of course know that many people who have done something wrong will claim to be innocent. Anyone facing death would likely claim not to have done it, whatever "it" was, right? So it takes some time, as details of the case unfold, for us as readers to start to fully believe Hinton. Once he convinces us, we are locked into this story, and it is a long, difficult read.
Mush like Steve Sheinkin's Port Chicago 50, The Sun Does Shine is a true story that spotlights the holes in our nation's justice system, and how far we still have to go to see all people as equal and worthy, no matter the color of their skin. 5 paws.
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