Death Row Exonerees To Visit University Of North Alabama

Feb. 07, 2017

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

Bryan Rachal, University Communications FLORENCE, Ala. - Two death row exonerees will soon visit the University of North Alabama campus as part of the 8th Annual Alabama Regional Graduate Conference in English, Feb. 23-25 in the GUC on UNA's campus. The topic of this year's conference is "Confinement: From the Prison Block to the Margins," and will feature guest speakers Anthony Ray Hinton and Gary Drinkard. Both Hinton and Drinkard were released from Alabama's death row after being exonerated for crimes they did not commit. Hinton, who spent three decades on death row prior to his exoneration, will speak Feb. 23 at 6 p.m., in the GUC Performance Center. Drinkard, who spent six years on death row prior to his exoneration, will speak Feb. 24 at 4 p.m., in the GUC Loft. He will also share some of the poetry he wrote during his confinement. Panels featuring graduate student papers on the topic of confinement will run from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Feb. 24, and from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Feb. 25. All panels will be held in the GUC Loft. All programming is free and open to the public. UNA Graduate assistants Stephanie Adair and Brett Fish have organized the event. For more information: Katie Owens-Murphy at kowensmurphy@una.edu.