‘Justice Denied’ Lecture by Joyce Ann Brown at UA and Stillman College will Explore Wrongful Imprisonment

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sometimes the court system fails miserably and there is no justice at all. Such is the case with Joyce Ann Brown, who was wrongly accused and convicted of a crime she did not commit. She then spent more than nine years in the Texas Department of Corrections working to secure her release.

Brown will be on The University of Alabama campus on Thursday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom to deliver a lecture titled “Justice Denied.” She is the author of “Joyce Ann Brown: Justice Denied,” a book that details her ordeal. A reception and book signing will follow the colloquium, and copies of her book will be available for sale. The event is free and open to the public.

Brown will explore how she was convicted of the aggravated robbery of a fur store in Dallas, Texas, though she worked across town and several co-workers testified that she was at work during the commission of the robbery. She’ll detail prison life, life without family and children and what it was like to lose her freedom.

Brown’s story of perseverance, hope and joy in the face of great adversity is unique. Her case has aired on “60 Minutes,” “Donahue” and other television shows. After her release, Brown founded MASS, Mothers (Fathers) for the Advancement of Social Systems, in 1993 to help people released from prison readjust to life without bars.

On Wednesday, March 5, at 7 p.m., Brown will deliver a lecture at Stillman College in the Birthright Auditorium. For more information about the Stillman appearance, contact Dr. Chinita Heard at 205/366-8840.

UA’s lecture is sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences diversity committee, department of women’s studies, department of criminal justice, African American studies, department of American studies, New College and Stillman College (Harte Honors College and Pre-Law Program).

Editor’s Note: Joyce Ann Brown will be available for interviews. Call Elizabeth Smith for more information.