Vincent Simmons

I watched part of a documentary called The Farm on Sundance today. One section struck me. It was about a man, Vincent Simmons, sentenced to 100 years of hard labor for two rapes that he denies committing. There is nothing unusual about an inmate claiming that he was wrongly convincted but I believe him.

The scene is of Mr. Simmons's first parole hearing after 20 years in prison. He is brought in before the board, they ask him a few questions, he presents them with new evidence--the line-up photo in which he is the only one handcuffed, a doctor's report that states that the accuser was a virgin, and more--that was not revealed during his trial. As soon as he left the room the men on the board said that they had no doubt that he is guilty. They also tell his accuser that she doesn't have to worry about them letting him out.

He was also shot in the police station while he was handcuffed and he said that the officers who transported him to the prison stopped along the way and told him to get out and run. Imagine how many black men have been unjustly accused, arrested, convincted, and even executed in this country.

There is a whole film about Mr. Simmons and his case that I want to see. It is called Shadows of Doubt: The State Vs. 85188 Vincent Simmons.