Richard Phillips He was arrested in the United States at the age of 27. He was accused of murdering a man by name Gregory Harris. They gave him a life sentence. He confessed to being innocent throughout the trial; however, no one believed him. He was imprisoned and spent 45 years behind bars. For almost half of his life he did not enjoy freedom. Locked between four walls, he cultivated a habit that kept him from loneliness: art. “He painted to keep his heart soft and his hope alive,” reads his official Facebook page.
2018, Richard Phillips he became a free man. He also received a $1.5 million reward when he was found innocent of the crime he was accused of. Today he is 76 years old and has painted more than 400 paintings in the last ten years. His works of art were also exhibited in museums. So we’re going to share with you the inspiring story of Phillips and how he faced the events he had to endure.
What is the story of Richard Phillips, the man who served 45 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit?
1972, Richard Phillips He worked in a car factory in the city of Detroit. He is African American and was born in Michigan. He led a quiet and uneventful life until that year when he was accused of shooting a named person Gregory Harris, who died. During his trial, Phillips asserted that he was innocent of the crime.
“I’d rather die in prison than admit to a murder I didn’t commit,” he told his attorney at the time. Despite this, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. 18 years after he was imprisoned, he began to paint. First as a hobby and then as an escape aid, painting helped him stay collected despite his circumstances.
He began selling cards with emotional messages to other inmates. This enabled him to buy new supplies to continue painting. According to CNN, his style was modernist and he used to favor themes of hope and survival.
Richard Phillips regained his freedom in 2018. Photo: Richard Phillips Art Gallery/Facebook
When was Richard Phillips released?
In 2010 things started to change for the Michigan American. A man named Richard Polombos pleaded guilty to the crime of Gregory Harris. Four years later, the University of Michigan took note of the case and instituted a new trial in Phillips’ favor.
The initiative was approved in 2017. A year later, exactly in March 2018, the amateur artist regained his freedom. They had to spend almost 46 years to get out of prison. But how can you compensate an innocent man who is himself a victim of American justice?
In May 2019, the Michigan Attorney General announced that she would award Phillips $1.5 million in compensation for his time behind bars, despite the fact that he is innocent of the crime he is accused of
Richard Phillips became a painter while in prison. Photo: Composite LR/CNN Capture/NowThis News
What is Richard Phillips doing today?
Phillips is currently 76 years old and continues to paint. He also has a Facebook page where he usually shares his latest work. “He painted to fill the long days. He painted to keep his heart soft and his hope alive. can be read on his wall.
“I really didn’t think I would ever be free again. I did this art to stay sane,” Phillips told AFP at the time. Some of his paintings have been exhibited at the Detroit Museum and others have sold for thousands of dollars.