Summary: Chapters 5–8

Hinton’s arrest opens Chapter 5, “Premeditated Guilt.” Hinton is brought to a police station where several officers, including Lieutenant Acker, interrogate him. They also try to make him sign a blank piece of paper. Hinton, suspicious of this request, refuses. They ask him about his whereabouts during the times of the murders, and he can’t remember. However, he does recall being at work on one of those nights. Afterward, they drive him to the county jail, where Acker admits he doesn’t care whether Hinton is innocent and in fact believes Hinton probably didn’t commit the murders. Nonetheless, Acker insists that Hinton will be convicted because of the discriminatory justice system in Alabama and Hinton’s race. Hinton is put in C-Block, where the murderers are kept.

During the early stages of his trial, which Hinton recounts in Chapter 6, “The Whole Truth,” he remains confident of an acquittal, despite Acker’s claims. He puts his trust in his public defender, Sheldon Perhacs, even though Perhacs is unmotivated and dissatisfied with the money he is being paid. Hinton compares Perhacs physically to Rocky Balboa from the Rocky films and hopes Perhacs will “fight” with the same determination. Hinton requests a polygraph test, which he passes, but the court refuses to accept it as evidence.

Hinton reveals in Chapter 7, “Conviction, Conviction, Conviction,” that because Perhacs is being paid only $1,000 for the case, he hires the cheapest ballistics expert he can find. Although the expert confidently claims he can prove Hinton’s mother’s gun isn’t the murder weapon, he falters in cross-examination at court. The prosecution makes him appear clueless and uninformed, sinking Hinton’s best hope for exoneration. Perhacs asks for more money, which Hinton can’t give him. Hinton also learns that his old acquaintance and romantic rival Reggie is responsible for his arrest. Reggie—whom Hinton humiliated as a young man by dating both the girl Reggie wanted and the girl’s sister at the same time—works at one of the restaurants robbed by the Cooler Killer. He erroneously identifies Hinton as the killer, even though Hinton is much larger than the suspect, as described by other survivors. For his information and later testimony, Reggie receives $5,000. Hinton realizes he’s being set up by the state, but his attorney fails to raise any important questions. Hinton is convicted and sentenced to death.

Hinton is transferred to Holman Prison in Chapter 8, “Keep Your Mouth Shut.” In his new cell, he becomes consumed with hatred for the system that condemned him. He also turns away from religion and closes himself off from the world, becoming silent and morose.

Analysis: Chapters 5–8

The mishandling of his case comes down mostly to issues of money. Because Hinton is poor, he must rely on an unmotivated public defender. Also, he must make do with an unqualified ballistics expert unprepared for cross-examination. On the other end, the money given to Reggie by the state pays for Reggie’s deceitful testimony. Apart from identifying Hinton as the killer, Reggie also perjures himself by saying that Hinton asked him about the restaurant as if casing the establishment.

The other main reason for Hinton’s failed defense is the racial bias of the justice system in Alabama, as described by Lieutenant Acker. Acker glibly acknowledges the unfairness of a system he, as a police officer, helps uphold. While admitting Hinton is probably innocent of the crimes, he also remarks that “if you didn’t do it, one of your brothers did.” These statements directly contradict what Hinton has always believed and what his mother taught him: that the truth matters and that the system is just.

Early in the trial, Hinton retains his optimism about the justice system. He looks up to his underpaid public defender and hopes Perhacs will save him. By likening Perhacs to Rocky Balboa and himself to Apollo Creed, Hinton makes an ironic parallel. At the time of his arrest, Hinton hasn’t seen Rocky IV and doesn’t know that Apollo Creed will die “while Rocky stood by and watched.” This statement mirrors Hinton’s own innocence at the time, believing himself protected by a justice system that doesn’t care about him. During these early stages of the trial, Hinton remains a faithful Christian, believing God will protect him. However, after he receives the death sentence, his attitude toward religion changes. By throwing the Bible under his bed, he symbolically removes God from his worldview and turns away from the hope with which religion inspired him previously. His choice to become sullen and silent distances him from the world that he feels has betrayed him.