4/22/2017 Steve Bright: 'Never had any interest in making a lot of money'

ThislowpaidAtlantalawyerisoneofthebest
StephenBright,tirelesscivilrightsadvocate,leavingSouthern
Center
ATLANTANEWS 5

ByBillRankinTheAtlantaJournalConstitution
THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION

StephenBrightarguestheFostercasebeforetheU.S.SupremeCourtinNovember2015.(ArtLien/courtartist.com)

Posted:6:14p.m.Thursday,April20,2017

Fordecades,StephenBrighthasworkedtoprovidethequalityoflegalrepresentationtothepowerless
andimpoverishedthatonlythewealthiestclientscouldafford.Allthewhile,hehasdonesoona
shoestring,forsakingthericheshisprofessioncouldbring.

BrightsettledinAtlantain1982,whenhetookoverwhatsnowknownastheSouthernCenterfor
HumanRights.Heroutinelyworkedpastmidnightpreparingcourtmotionstostaveoffexecutionsand
jugglingfinancestokeeptheofficeafloat.Heskippedsomanymealshisworriedmotherstarted
sendinghimproteinshakes.

Dr.MartinLutherKingJr.smessageasItookitwas
thattherewasnothingmoreimportantthanendingracism,poverty,materialismandmilitarismand
nothinglessimportantthanhowmuchmoneyyoumadedoingit,Bright,68,saidofselfimposedlow
pay.Thatsuitedmeperfectly.

RICHARDHALICKS/THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION

StephenBright.(CourtesyoftheSouthernCenter
forHumanRights)
bydysfunctionalindigentdefensesystems.
+ Now,after35years,BrightisleavingtheSouthern
Center,whichhetransformedintoaforceforjusticeon
behalfofinmatesfacingthedeathpenalty,detainees
inunsafejailconditionsanddefendantsneglected

Butheisnteasingbackonthethrottlejustyet.Hewillcontinuetoteachatsomeofthenationstop
lawschools.AndonMonday,BrightwillarguehisfourthcasebeforetheU.S.SupremeCourt,thistime
onbehalfofAlabamadeathrowinmateJamesMcWilliams.

AtissueiswhetherMcWilliamsshouldhavebeenprovidedanindependentexpertwhocouldhave
testifiedattrialaboutthedefendantsmentalhealth.ThecasetookonmoresignificanceWednesday
whentwoexecutionsinArkansaswerestayedpendingtheoutcomeoftheMcWilliamsdecision.

Brightisoneofonlyafewlawyerswhocansaytheyvewonalltheirargumentsbeforethenations
highestcourt.Inhisthreepriorcases,justicesoverturneddeathsentencesbecauseofracial
discriminationinthejuryselectionprocess.

THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION

+
StephenBrightoutsidetheU.S.SupremeCourtafterarguingacaseinNovember2015.(BillRankin/AJCfile)

Brightembodiesthebestthelegalsystemhastooffer,AtlantalawyerEdGarlandsaid.

Herepresentsunselfishness,humilityanddeeppersonalloveandcaringfortheleastofthoseinour
society,Garlandsaid.Ivebeenwithhimincourtroomswherehewascourageousandmagnificently

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4/22/2017 Steve Bright: 'Never had any interest in making a lot of money'
effective.Ivebeenwithhiminjailswhereheshowedindividualdefendantsthegreatestofhuman
compassion.

Bright,wholovesBroadwaymusicals,seemsbornforastage.Onadaisorincourt,hearcheshis
backandspeakswithavoicethatfillsaroom,oftenusingadrysenseofhumortodrivehispoints
home.During2007arguments,BrightscomebacksduringfeistyexchangeswithJusticeAntonin
Scaliahadthegalleryroaringinlaughter.

Brightsstirringoratoryhasmadehimasoughtafterspeakerandteacher,andhefindsithardtosay
nobecausehewantstospreadtheword.HeoncefoundhimselfteachingatbothGeorgetownand
Harvardonthesamedayoftheweek.Thismeantracingtoairportstoshuttlebackandforth
betweenWashingtonandBoston.

Brightsaidhesneverregrettedmissingoutonthelavishincomehecouldcommand,givenhis
credentialsandexpertise.Iveneverhadanyinterestinmakingalotofmoney,hesaid.

TherewasnevermuchtoearnattheSouthernCenter.Fifteenyearsago,Brightandeveryother
lawyertheremade$30,000ayear.Twoyearsago,Brighttookin$38,000.Hispayforteachingatlaw
schools?ItwenttotheSouthernCenter,notintohispockets.

RICHARDHALICKS/THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION
In1998,theAmericanBarAssociationpresentedits
+
FormerdeathrowinmateTonyAmadeo(left)with
prestigiousThurgoodMarshallAwardtoBright.
hisattorneyStephenBrightatAmadeoscollege
Attendingthegalawerehighprofilelawyersintailored
graduationin1995.(Photocourtesyof...ReadMore
wool,designerdressesandsplashyjewelry.Bright
showedupinabargainracksuithedboughtinPascagoula,Miss.

Sixyearsago,BrightwasgivenacomplimentarysuiteattheluxuriousBeverlyHiltonwherehewasto
receiveahumanrightsaward.ButhestayedatadiscounthotelsolongtimeSouthernCenter
secretaryPatriciaHaleandofficemanagerJuliaRobinsonHickscouldstayattheHiltonontheirfirst
Californiatrip.

Brightgrewuponhisfamilys700acrefarmintheheartofBluegrasscountryincentralKentucky.He
remembershisfatherspeakingoutagainstsegregationinthe1960s.

Myfolks,Brightsaid,wereamongtheveryfewpeoplewhosaidverystrongly,Youjustcanttreat
peoplethiswaybecauseoftheirrace.Youvegottointegratetheschools.Youvegottointegrate
everything.

BrightfollowedhisparentsexampleattheUniversityofKentucky,wherehewaselectedstudentbody
president.

HespokeoutagainstthewarinVietnamandwasoncearrestedduringacampusprotest.Represented
byalawschoolprofessor,Brightavoidedbeingexpelledfromschool.Healsostartedtothinkabout
becomingalawyer.

Isawhowtheycouldhelppeopleandbringaboutchange,hesaid.

BrightfirstworkedfortheAppalachianResearchandDefenseFund,representingpeopleinthe
Kentuckycoalfields.In1976,hemovedtoWashingtonandbecameapublicdefender.

HislegalworkinGeorgiabeganin1979withaphonecallfromPatsyMorris,anAmericanCivil
LibertiesUnionvolunteerrecruitinglawyersfordeathrowinmates.Brighthadaquestion:Whycall
someonewhoknowsnothingaboutGeorgialaw?

Welltakeanyonewecanget,Morrisreplied.

Bright,withtwootherattorneys,acceptedthecaseofDonnieThomas,sentencedtodieforkillinga9
yearoldboyinAtlanta.
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4/22/2017 Steve Bright: 'Never had any interest in making a lot of money'
Wewaitedforsometrucktopullupwithbankersboxesfullofcourtrecords,Brightsaid,addinghe
wasshockedwhenthefilearrivedinatwoinchthickmanilaenvelope.

Thomasdeathsentencewaslateroverturnedongroundshislawyerintroducednomitigationevidence
attrial.Brighthassincerepresenteddozensofcapitaldefendantsandbecomeanoutspoken
opponentofthedeathpenalty.

Whenyouaskwhetherthispersonissobeyondredemptionthatheshouldbeeliminatedfromthe
humancommunity,whatkindofquestionisthattoasksomebody?hesaid.Noneofusshouldbe
answeringthatquestion,becausewedontknow.

Bright,whohasattendedfiveexecutions,saidhavingaclientputtodeathisthemosttragicthingthat
couldhappentoalawyer.

Brightsaidhewantstobethereattheendsohisclientcanlookupandseesomeonewhocares
abouthim.In1985,BrightservedasapallbearerforclientJosephCarlShawafterhisexecution.

Somekillersshouldneverbeallowedtoreturntosocietybecauseofwhattheyvedoneorwhothey
are,Brightsaid.Butothersarenotbeyondredemption.

HecitesTonyAmadeo,whowas18whenheandtwootherMarinescommittedmurdersinGeorgia
andAlabamawhileAWOLfromCampLejeunein1977.Amadeowassenttodeathrowforkillinga
retireddairymaninPutnamCounty.

BrightwonAmadeoanewtrialbecausethedistrictattorney,inahandwrittenmemo,toldjury
commissionershowtolimitthenumberofblacksinthejurypool.Amadeo,latersentencedtolife,took
collegecoursesinprisonfromMercerUniversity.Hegraduatedsummacumlaudeandclass
valedictorian.

Amadeorecentlyrecalledhowfamilymemberscametopayhimtheirfinalrespectsafterawarrant
wasissuedforhisexecution.Ratherthanvisit,BrightwasbackinAtlanta,preparingapetitionforthe
SupremeCourt.

AslongasIhadabreathoflifebeforetheypulledthatswitch,hewasstillgivingit110percent,said
Amadeo,whowasparoledtwoyearsago.Tome,thatmanwalksonwater.

Bright,whohelpedpersuadetheLegislaturetocreateastatewidepublicdefendersystem,stunnedthe
legalcommunitythreeyearsagobyapplyingtoheadCordelespublicdefenderoffice.Icanimagine
nogreatercontributionthatIcouldmaketojusticeinGeorgiathantakingresponsibilityfortheworst
publicdefenderofficeinthestateandturningitintoamodelforGeorgiaandthenation,hesaidatthe
time.

Heinterviewedforthepositionbutdidntgetit.

Workingfulltiltfordecadeshastakenatoll.Brightwasjust31whenhesufferedhisfirstcardiac
incident.Then,athomeinAtlantain2007,heblackedoutandcollapsedtothefloor.

Hegotup,wenttoworkthenextdayandthensawhisdoctor,whosentBrighttotheemergencyroom.

DoctorsfoundBrighthadgoneintocardiacarrest.Theybelievedhisfalltothefloorjoltedhisheart
backintoaction,savinghislife.Brightnowhasadefibrillator.

TheSouthernCenter,whichishostingatributeforitsformerleaderonMay2,nowhasastaffof23,
with13attorneysandanannualbudgetof$2.5million.

Yearsago,theofficegotitsfirstcarthroughadonationfromahomelessshelter,Brightrecalled.
Lookingback,itshardformetoimaginehowwedidit.

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4/22/2017 Steve Bright: 'Never had any interest in making a lot of money'
AskedabouthistimeattheSouthernCenter,Bright,quotingthelateJusticeThurgoodMarshall,
said,IdidthebestIcouldwithwhatIhad.

RICHARDHALICKS/THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION

+
ThisisadetailfromtheprosecutorslistofpotentialjurorsintheTimothyTyroneFostercase,whichwasarguedbefore...ReadMore

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ThreevictoriesinthreeU.S.SupremeCourtcases:

Amadeov.Zant(1988)Inaunanimousopinion,thecourtoverturnedtheconvictionanddeath
sentenceagainstTonyAmadeofora1977murderinEatonton.Therulingfoundthatprosecutorsand
PutnamCountyofficialsillegallyandsecretlykeptAfricanAmericanresidentsoutofthepoolof
potentialjurors.

Snyderv.Louisiana(2008)Thehighcourt,bya72vote,threwouttheconvictionanddeath
sentenceagainstAllenSnyder,whodbeenfoundguiltyofkillinghisestrangedwifescompanionjust
outsideofNewOrleansin1995.Thecourtfoundthatracialbiashadinfectedtheselectionofthejury
whentheprosecutionstruckallfiveAfricanAmericanprospectivejurorstogetanallwhitejuryin
Snyderscase.

Fosterv.Chatman(2016)Ina71decision,thecourtoverturnedthe1987convictionanddeath
sentenceagainstTimothyTyroneFoster,ablackmanaccusedofkillinganelderlywhitewomanin
FloydCounty.ThecourtfoundracialbiasduringtheselectionoftheallwhitejurythatdecidedFosters
fate,bolsteredbytheprosecutionsowncolorcodednotesdetailingeffortstokeepAfricanAmericans
offthejury.

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