Birmingham-based documentarian Beth Shelburne will headline this special event, Toforest Johnson: An Innocent Man on Death Row, presented in conjunction with Greater Birmingham Ministries and SHPC’s Matthew 25 Ambassadors. Ms. Shelburne hosts the eight-episode “Earwitness” podcast about Toforest Johnson’s case and co-produced the Oscar-nominated documentary The Alabama Solution about our state’s prison system. This free event will also feature Johnson’s daughter, Akeriya Terry.
Read more below.
Justice for Toforest Johnson
Toforest Johnson is a son, brother, and father who has spent over 26 years on Alabama’s death row for a crime he did not commit. He was convicted in 1998 for the 1995 murder of Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy William G. Hardy—despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence.
More than ten witnesses testified that Mr. Johnson was across town at the time of the crime. There was no physical evidence linking him to the scene, and no eyewitness placed him there. Since the day of his arrest, he has never wavered in maintaining his innocence.
This case has sparked national outrage and many prominent voices have called for a new trial. Among Mr. Johnson’s supporters are former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Drayton Nabers Jr., former Governor Robert Bentley, former Attorney General Bill Baxley, U.S. Senator Doug Jones, and current Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr. Despite this outcry, the State of Alabama continues to pursue Toforest Johnson’s execution.
Join South Highland Presbyterian Church and Greater Birmingham Ministries for a powerful forum with Akeriya “Muffin” Terry, Toforest’s youngest daughter, and Beth Shelburne, Birmingham journalist and creator of the award-winning Earwitness podcast. Together, we’ll explore the facts of Toforest’s case, hear clips from Earwitness, and explore how we can stand in solidarity with Toforest and his family in the fight for justice.