Griffin Speaks
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
On
April 7, 2004 I moved from my office located at 500 Monroe Street to my new
office located at 301 Ripley Street. I began serving as Chief Legal Counsel
for the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles in November 1995. Since that
date I have served as Chief Legal Counsel while the department has had 5
Chairmen, 13 board members, and 3 executive directors. There have also been
3 governors, and 3 attorney generals. I walked through my empty office and
looked around at the bare walls. I sat down on the floor
and said to myself, " If
these walls could talk, what would they say?” “What stories would they
tell?” I finally concluded if they could talk they would never shut up! So
incredible the experience has been.
I
was reminded of an instance when a black news reporter from Tuscaloosa came
to visit with me at the request of Senator Charles Steele. The reporter told
me about a black man serving a sentence of life without the possibility of
parole. The reporter said that he believed the man was innocent. When I
looked at the case I discovered that the inmate had received an incorrect
sentence. I made a few calls and no one seemed to agree with me. I told the
reporter that the inmate would need to challenge his sentence in the
Appellate Courts. The inmate hired an attorney, challenged his sentence and
as of March 31st, 2004 is a free man.
My
new corner office is on the third floor of the old Troy State University
Nursing School. Dr. David Bronner did a wonderful job with the renovations.
The building is very beautiful and secure.
I
can look out my office window and see Dr. Martin Luther King’s former
residence. I was reminded of
how many people fought for me to be able to hold the position that I
presently hold. I began to realize that in 1995 I became the first Black
Chief Legal Counsel for a State Agency in Alabama. It is sad that it took
that long for an African American to get that opportunity. I took another
look out the window and I saw an elderly woman driving by. It looked like
90+ year old Mrs. Johnnie Carr! Tears
flowed from my eyes! Thank you Mrs. Carr for all that you have done to make
this world a better place. I love you!
Greg
Griffin is a freelance writer. You can read his previous articles by
visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com
