Anthony Ray Hinton

A white man of authority don't ever want to admit to someone of colour they was wrong. ”

I was born with a mother who loved me unconditionally and with a sense of humor. ”

Death row prisoners face enormous challenges in finding lawyers who will assist them. ”

The state of Alabama can take my freedom, the state of Alabama can take my future, but the state of Alabama cannot take my joy. ”

I have too much to live for to allow a bunch of cowards to take my joy. I refuse to give them my joy. ”

They took my 30s, my 40s, my 50s, but what they couldn't take was my joy. I couldn't do nothing about the years, but I could control my joy... I kept a smile on my face; I kept love in my heart. ”

When every court was saying 'no,' I believe God was still saying yes. I had to somehow find that faith and reach deep down in my soul and believe in the teaching that my mother taught me as a young boy, that God can do everything but fail. ”

When I went to prison, for three years I didn't say a word to another human being until, going into the fourth year, when I realized, 'You know what, I have to find a way to live.' ”

On September 22, 2002, my mama, Buhlar Hinton, died. When the guards told me, I gave up. She'd been deteriorating for a long time - I believe she died of a broken heart. ”

There was a time I thought I'd never see the sun again. ”