In Hollywood's ravenous desire for real-life drama compelling enough the attract mass audiences, we have several candidates for films right here in Arkansas, including the case of Willie Mae Harris.
And today, Governor Asa Hutchinson has the opportunity to do the right thing for this blind, black lady from an impoverished background who has spent 34 years in prison.
Now 72, Willie, a Shreveport native who moved with her husband, Clyde, to his hometown of Bradley, Ark., was repeatedly abused, even hospitalized, then endured a pathetic excuse for a defense at her 1985 trial and conviction in the death of her husband in their bedroom earlier that year.
Her attorney today, Lee Eaton, and trial transcripts, explained the events surrounding Clyde's death and Willie's trial this way:
Willie was charged with the first-degree murder and initially offered a plea deal--20 years and out in 13 for good behavior. But the mother of two refused to admit to an intentional crime she insists she didn't commit.
Despite Clyde's history of domestic physical and mental abuse, Willie was the only witness called on her behalf, although defense witnesses considered both supportive and hostile were plentiful, along with doctor and hospital treatment records.
The jury's guilty verdict for first-degree murder led to a sentence of life in prison. The trial records also reports "... a disturbance in the courtroom." The Harrises' 14-year-old daughter Sylvia, home the night of the shooting and a witness to the ongoing abuse in the home, was expecting to be called. But Willie's lawyer told her she was too young to testify and, besides, her testimony wouldn't help. The courtroom disturbance mentioned was Sylvia screaming to be heard after realizing she'd never have the opportunity give her account in her mother's defense.
The prosecution described multiple loaded guns belonging to Clyde found around the bedroom on the night of the shooting, including one beneath the mattress where he typically slept. This is the threatening environment Willie lived with daily.
The shooting occurred after 17 days of escalating violence. Willie finally had managed the courage to leave the home but had been coaxed back amid Clyde's threats of suicide mixed with promises to reform in exchange for her return.
"When she grabbed for one of the guns in their bedroom, it was a response--fueled by days of sleep and food deprivation--to Clyde's persistent effort to anally sodomize her," Eaton further explained.
Out of frustration (and admitted negligence), Willie remembered hitting Clyde with one of his guns. A single shot was fired, traveling through covers to fatally lodge in his chest. The prosecution's forensic evidence offered a compilation of confusing and conflicting testimony around several possibilities of what happened that night, which included Willie's version.
Willie never denied responsibility for causing her husband's death. She says she was devoted to her husband and loved him sincerely and denies intentionally pulling the trigger.
Eaton said Willie's final words to the court, as reflected in the trial transcript were: "I want to know why nobody was in my defense. I mean, you know, it was just me. There are lots of things that nobody would believe what I'm saying, but there are people that--who know these things happened to me."
Today, after 34 years a prisoner, the mother whose life sentence also meant she'd become totally blind, continues to tutor other female inmates in literacy at the Department of Correction's Hawkins Women's Unit in Wrightsville where she's been a model prisoner and positive role model.
The account of her early married life through spousal abuse and incarceration (and continuing imprisonment despite the state parole board having unanimously recommended her provisional release multiple times through different governors) has to this point been anything but a story of compassion or mercy.
Adele Richmond, a staunch supporter of Willie's, met and befriended the inmate in the summer of 1997 during a literacy workshop presented to inmates who were leading the education department at Tucker Prison.
A mutual acquaintance involved with the Kairos faith-based ministry provided their link. "'Miss Willie' facilitated our sessions with the utmost finesse and professionalism," said Adele.
She said that on the workshop's final day the teachers gave demonstrations of reading techniques. "When I watched Willie teach, I remember thinking she is a gifted educator, master teacher. It was easy to understand why she'd earned the respect to be called 'Miss Willie' both within and outside of prison."
Adele said she realized Miss Willie had a keen memory along with "a dedicated faith [that] would propel her forward to positively affect the literacy rate of incarcerated women and thereby effect a positive trend in recidivism."
She supported Willie with both personal needs and educational materials for literacy classes and the GED courses Willie taught while they communicated through letters and phone calls.
Willie lost sight in one eye in 2004, followed three years later by vision failure in her second eye caused by detached retinas, possibly caused by the assaults she'd previously endured from Clyde. She went totally blind shortly after Adele began visiting her in Wrightsville.
Adele then connected with Eaton during 2009 in a happenstance meeting where she asked Eaton to become Miss Willie's attorney. Eaton agreed.
Below is Eaton's further account drawn from the case transcripts as well as her own continuing efforts to assist inmate number 702884 in her personal as well as legal needs.
In the fall of 2013 the parole board again recommended--for the fifth straight time--that Willie Mae Harris be released from prison. At the parole hearing Willie was informed the Board has consistently and unanimously recommended only three female prisoners for release, Willie being one.
Despite their evaluation, the final decision, however, always rests with the governor and a willingness to find mercy and grant executive clemency resulting in a commutation of her life sentence.
"In 1998, Gov. Mike Huckabee denied her request," the attorney wrote. "The clemency law in place at that time required an applicant to wait one year from the date of denial before reapplying. Regardless, Willie did not file another application until 2007. In 2008, 2011 and 2013, Governor Beebe decided to "take no action" on subsequent applications. This legal position allowed her to reapply for clemency immediately.
"Her next application was filed on Sept. 26, 2013. On June 1, 2015, Gov. Asa Hutchinson denied her request. The clemency law in place now requires that she wait four years from the date of application before reapplying."
Willie waited four years and applied for clemency for the sixth time in September 2018. The current parole board is now comprised of Governor Hutchinson's appointees, and this time they have not even offered the woman a parole hearing, instead forwarding her file to the governor with their opinion that her application has no merit, the attorney continued.
Although Eaton hasn't read the exact language backing the board's decision she said she was told that because there was a gun and a death involved, the members feel the sentence wasn't excessive.
The bottom line: Miss Willie's file sits on Governor Hutchinson's desk. Under law, he has until April 4 to make his decision.
"While this latest parole board decision is a big disappointment, the reality is that the board's decision has never had the result of influencing the governor to let Willie go home," Eaton said.
In other words, the governor's mind, heart and level of compassion are now solely involved. "It's way past time for her to go home," Eaton said. "I've been told 'life means life' in Arkansas. Yet the fact is that life means life for some, but not for others."
Eaton has been told that readers who care about seeing clemency for Willie should send letters of support to Governor Hutchinson at State Capital Room 210, 500 Woodlane Ave., Little Rock 72201, regarding Willie Mae Harris, inmate 702884.
I'm hoping many reading will speak up for Miss Willie and ask our governor to finally have mercy and grant her the clemency that has been officially recommended on numerous occasions.
I actually do have faith Governor Hutchinson will be the one to finally do the right thing for this good and decent woman who is no threat to anyone. Feel free to copy me on anything you might send or email on her behalf.
Now go out into the world and treat everyone you meet exactly how you want them to treat you.
Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at [email protected].
Web only on 01/25/2020