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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
+ Now,after35years,BrightisleavingtheSouthern
StephenBright.(CourtesyoftheSouthernCenter Center,whichhetransformedintoaforceforjusticeon
forHumanRights)
behalfofinmatesfacingthedeathpenalty,detainees
inunsafejailconditionsanddefendantsneglected
bydysfunctionalindigentdefensesystems.
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
http://www.myajc.com/news/local/this-low-paid-atlanta-lawyer-one-the-best/6oMV9jWteArhuPbDuKeJBJ/ 1/4
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.
http://www.myajc.com/news/local/this-low-paid-atlanta-lawyer-one-the-best/6oMV9jWteArhuPbDuKeJBJ/ 2/4
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.
http://www.myajc.com/news/local/this-low-paid-atlanta-lawyer-one-the-best/6oMV9jWteArhuPbDuKeJBJ/ 3/4
4/22/2017 Steve Bright: 'Never had any interest in making a lot of money'
AskedabouthistimeattheSouthernCenter,Bright,quotingthelateJusticeThurgoodMarshall,
said,IdidthebestIcouldwithwhatIhad.
RICHARDHALICKS/THEATLANTAJOURNALCONSTITUTION
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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.
http://www.myajc.com/news/local/this-low-paid-atlanta-lawyer-one-the-best/6oMV9jWteArhuPbDuKeJBJ/ 4/4