Darryl Hunt-like injustice occurring in Smith case , say some
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Ironically, the name Darryl
Hunt has become synonymous
with justice to many people in
the community. Since his
release from prison after serv
ing nearly two decades for a
murder he did not commit.
Hunt has worked tirelessly for
others who, like him, have
fallen victim to a criminal jus
tice system that is sometimes
anything but fair.
The case of Kalvin
Michael Smith is of particular
interest to Hunt. Smith was
sentenced to 29 years in
prison in 1995 for the savage
and near fatal beating of Jill
Marker, who was assaulted at
the floral shop. Silk Plant
Forest, where she worked.
Smith maintains hisQnno
cence. And many. Hunt
included, believe there is evi
dence supporting that claim.
"So much of this seems
like deja vu for a lot of us,"
commented the Rev. John
Mendez, pastor of Emmanuel
Baptist Church and one of
Hunt's most outspoken sup
porters during his incarcera
tion. "It really grieves my
heart because we know how
hard we've worked over these
last 19 years. We've been
hoping that we (as a commu
nity) would learn some
thing... How wrong we
were!"
The Darryl Hunt Project
for Freedom and Justice and
Ministers Conference of
Winston-Salem and Vicinity
co-hosted a rally at Emmanuel
Tuesday evening to highlight
discrepancies they see in the
Smith case.
"We want freedom; we
want justice; we want what is
right for our families and our
brothers and sisters,"' pro
claimed Ministers Conference
President Linda Beal to a
murmur of agreement from
the audience.
The Rev. Steven Angle,
pastor of Southside
Community Church and one
of the Minister'^ Conference's
few Caucasian members, says
racism is to blame for the
injustices Hunt and others
have suffered at the hands of
the judicial system.
"One of the things that
happens to us is that we allow
ourselves to be fragmented,"
he remarked. "We are divid
ed."
Jet Hollander became
involved in the Smith case
The Rev. John Mendez gives remarks.
after sitting on a city review
panel on the handling of
Hunt's case.
Hollander found extensive
information about the details
of the Smith case and has
pointed out what he says are
inconsistencies he noticed in
his layman's research. His
son, Kevin Hollander, per
formed a song inspired by
Smith, whom he and his father
have visited in prison several
times.
"I'm not an attorney... I'm
not giving you any inside
information; everything I'm
referring to is available in the
public record," Hollander told
the group. "All of you can
make up your own minds
about the facts."
Many others from the
community spoke out in sup
port of Smith, including Larry
Little, a Winston-Salem State
University professor and
longtime supporter and friend
of Hunt's; Lynn Boyd of
Mothers for Justice; and even
Smith's own father.
The rally was concluded
with an audio tape from Smith
himself.
"I can't see you there, but
I feel your presence," Smith
told the audience in the
recording. "I am over
whelmed to know that so
many people have come
together to see that justice is
served... Thank you for your
prayers and support. God
bless you all."
The DHPFJ encourages
community members to show
their support for Smith by
attending the meeting of the
city's Silk Plant Forest
Committee, slated for
Monday, Sept. 22, 2008 at
5:30 p.m. in Public Meeting
Room 530, Stuart Municipal
Building, 100 E. First St. For
more information, call (336)
727-8000.
Kevin Hollander performs a song inspired by the case <
Kalvin Michael Smith.
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Photos by Layb Farmer
Jet Hollander presents facts that he says point to Smith 's innocences.
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