Anthony Graves: will the Prosecutor answer for his actions?

American prisoner who spent 18 years waiting for the death penalty, was released after all the charge of complicity in the murder had been removed from him. Anthony Graves was sentenced to death after being convicted by another man who said that Graves had helped him kill six people. However, two weeks before the execution of the sentence the murderer confessed that he had lied about Graves’ involvement.

Terrible lifestory of Anthony Graves

Graves was convicted of killing six people. This terrible crime occurred in Houston in 1992. The Court was guided by the testimony of a single witness – the second defendant in the case. New circumstances of the massacre became known to the court only last year, and Graves was acquitted.

However, the smile of fortune was more like a grin: acquitted man could not get state law compensation (80 thousand dollars for each year in prison). The decision lacked the phrase “actually innocent.”

Graves demanded found him not guilty with the right words, which will give him the opportunity to receive the whole amount of money. There is no decision on this question yet, but the man will be payed the money now. Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation that specifically mentions the case of Graves.

Former prisoner thanked the authorities, but noted that this compensation will not return to him  lost years of life. He also said that he would not withdraw his claim because he wants to achieve full compensation.

Anthony Graves’ Prosecutor Finally Has to Answer For His Actions

The state bar of texas has found “just cause” to pursue disciplinary action against charles sebesta, the district attorney who sent graves to death row. Anthony Graves electronically filed a grievance in January against former Burleson County District Attorney Charles Sebesta asking that Sebesta be held accountable by the State Bar of Texas for Graves’ wrongful murder conviction. Though Sebesta has always put great stock in trying people before the court of public opinion—to this day, he continues to insinuate on his website that Graves is a murderer —he has asked that the bar hear his case in a confidential proceeding, rather than in open court.

After spending 12 years on Death Row, Graves’ conviction was overturned on March 3, 2006 by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals when, in an a unanimous opinion, a three judge panel held that the state’s case had hinged on Carter’s perjured testimony, and concluded that the Prosecutor, Charles Sebesta, had intentionally withheld evidence that could have helped Graves; most notably that Carter had recanted right before he testified at Grave’s August 1992 trial.

Graves was held for an additional four years in solitary confinement  in the Burleson County jail awaiting retrial until October 27, 2010, when he was released after all charges were dismissed by Burleson County Special Prosecutor Kelly Siegler, who concluded, “He’s an innocent man. There is nothing that connects Anthony Graves to this crime.”  – wikipedia  says.