Obie Anthony grew up in the city of Kinloch in St. Louis County, Missouri and was wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 17 years in prison before being exonerated in 2011. Listen to his story on YouTube and what he has accomplished since getting out on the new POINT BLACK Radio Show with Pruitt and Gray on iHeartMedia in St. Louis, Mo.
In 1994, a man named Felipe Gonzales was shot and killed during a robbery in Los Angeles, California. Anthony was arrested and charged with the murder, even though there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. The case against him relied largely on the testimony of two eyewitnesses who later recanted their statements.
Despite the lack of evidence, Anthony was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. While in prison, he maintained his innocence and worked to clear his name.
In 2011, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office conducted a review of Anthony’s case and determined that there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction. They then filed a motion to vacate his conviction and dismiss the charges against him.
Anthony was released from prison in June 2011, after serving 17 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. Since his release, he has become an advocate for criminal justice reform and has worked to help others who have been wrongfully convicted.
The case of Obie Anthony highlights the importance of ensuring that the criminal justice system operates fairly and accurately, and the importance of continuing efforts to exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted.
Adolphus Pruitt, St. Louis NAACP chief, and the Rev. Darryl Gray, a civil-rights activist, co-host POINT BLACK Radio Show on KATZ Hallelujah (1600 AM) on Thursdays from 9-10 a.m.
