“Lovely Bones” Author Wrongfully Sent Man To Jail - Then Wrote A Book On Him & Became Best Seller

Bada bing, bada boom. It feels kind of illegal what Karen is. doing. She's sitting in her Los Angeles. home and she's watching video after. video of black men pretending to hurt. white woman. She wants to throw up. She. wants to gag. She can't take it anymore. She closes her computer and stares out. the window. Something about this just I. mean obviously it just doesn't feel. right. Karen has been hired to write the. screenplay for the famed author Alice. Sebold, the author of The Lovely Bones.

I don't know if you guys watched this. movie. The Lovely Bones was a huge. international commercial success. So was. the book that it's based off of. That. book was quickly one of the highest. selling, fastest selling novels in that. period. Karen had been brought on to take. Alice's other book. So The Lovely Bones. already a movie, but Alice had another. book called Lucky. This is a memoir, meaning this one is actually true. This. is actually about Alice's real life.

It's factual. Karen is in charge of. turning that book into a movie, a. dramatized version. Typically this is a. very, very long process and the risk. that this movie is not going to do well. is pretty high. But with this particular. one, not risky at all. This is Alice. Sebold we're talking about. We're. talking about the creator of The Lovely. Bones. Of course it's going to do well. This is a dream job for Karen. So why is. it that every time she opens up the. book, she wants to throw up? She wants. to gag.

Maybe because the book is based off the. true story of Alice's absolutely brutal. essay when she was in college. I mean a. stranger had dragged her under the. tunnel near campus, assaulted her, beat. her violently and then left. But also maybe it's something else. So in terms of just movie casting, Karen. had to find a bunch of black male. actors, get them to audition for for. part of the assaulter and they would. during their audition, they would have. to pretend to essay someone.

It just made Karen so uncomfortable. This is 2021, and it's clear that none. of these actors even wanted to be there. Most of them were duped by their agents. to show up and audition. The other half. of them, they're like, "Okay, now I'm in. a pickle because I really need the. money. I need to pay the bills, but the. minute that this movie goes up, it's. social annihilation. I mean, the actor. would be disowned by his own community. because of this portrayal.". But a job is a job, right? Karen adapts the movie, writes a script, and it lands on the director's desk to.

be approved. She did tweak a few things. She condensed the rambling parts, but. also, she made the attacker white. So, when Timothy, the director of this, that's going to see this book go from. book to movie, he starts reading over. the screenplay. It just needs to be. approved by him, and then now we can go. into production. He's comparing it to. the original book. He starts. He starts getting this feeling. It's not even a bad feeling, but it's. the feeling of He leaves work, he goes. out to dinner, and he keeps having this.

little nagging feeling in the back of. his mind where he feels like he forgot. something, but then he doesn't even know. what he forgot, and he's just like, "I. just feel I just feel gross about it. Like, something is annoying me." He. would just gaze off and think about. life. When Timothy couldn't take it anymore, he calls up Dan, a private investigator. And he says, "Hey, Dan, can you look into something for me? Or look into someone. Alice Sebold. Yes, the famous author, the one that did. The Lovely Bones.

I just feel like something's not really. adding up. I think she's lying.". We would like to thank today's sponsors. who have made it possible for Rotten. Mango to support the Innocence Project.

Their mission is to exonerate inmates. who have been falsely convicted as well. as fight for reform in the criminal. justice system. They have been working. for over three decades to prevent. wrongful convictions and free the. innocent. This episode's partnerships. have also made it possible to support. Rotten Mango's growing team of dedicated. researchers and translators. And we. would also like to thank you guys, our. listeners, for your continued support as. we work on our mission to be worthy. advocates of these causes. Some quick disclaimers for today's case. First, the essay mentioned is brief, but.

it's very graphic. So please, if that's. a concern, take care of yourself. I also. do want to mention, I think today's case. requires a lot of nuance and care. There. are technically two victims in this. case. They are victims in their own. right, in their own stories, but one. victim helped create another victim. And. now, how much of that you think was. intentional or is not intentional on. creating the second victim, I guess it's. up for you to decide. But in no way, shape, or form are we discrediting or.

casting doubt on a victim's story of. assault. It happened. But that's pretty. much as much as we know. So just keep in mind, many things can be. true at once. Many people can be victims. at once, and victims can end up harming. other victims and creating new victims. So with that being said, let's get into. it. There were rumors around Syracuse. University, around the campus, that a. man is climbing through the college. students' windows. But then again, is it really a rumor if. it actually happened to a student on.

campus? A 19-year-old college student named. Alice Sebold is on her way home, and she. turns the corner. She's in the car. There are five police vehicles with. their sirens off, but their lights are. just illuminating the entire street. There's policemen walking around trying. to talk to people, trying to talk to. college students, and Alice is just. staring at this chaotic scene. From. inside the car, it sounds almost silent. Like those movies, she's driving up and. she can feel this like doom building in. her stomach. She tells her boyfriend at.

the time, "Oh my god, oh my god, let me. out. I got to get out.". Her dorm is on this street. All the police are gathered on this. street, and she just has this gut. feeling that something happened to her. roommate, Layla. Alice runs out of the car straight for. the building that she lives in, and two. uniformed officers, they step in front. of her way, blocking her. "This is a. crime scene, ma'am. You've got to. leave." "I I live here. I live here. Is. it Layla? Oh my god, please, you have to. tell me what happened.". The officers are debating whether or not.

to step aside because technically, she. does live here, and then another officer. comes up from behind them. "Alice?". "This is Detective Klapper, the same. police that helped Alice when she". And it just can't be happening again. "Alice, what what what are you doing. here?". "Detective Klapper, I I live here. Where's Layla?". "I'm so sorry, Alice.". "What do you mean? Was she Was she. assaulted?". Detective Klapper looks down, and he.

clenches his jaw. He had seen everything. that Alice had gone through, and now. "Yes, on the bed in the back bedroom, she was assaulted. Your roommate was.". "The back bedroom? That doesn't even. make sense because that's my bedroom. Is. she okay?". Layla was not okay. I mean, everything. was not okay. This would rip apart. Alice's and Layla's friendship because. things were getting too complicated now. The police believed that Layla was. assaulted because of Alice. The.

assaulter came in through Alice's. unlocked window, dragged Layla into. Alice's bedroom, and said, quote, "I. want to do it in Alice's bedroom.". There's a lot to be scared of in prison. Prison gangs primarily. Prison gangs. might be more terrifying than their. non-incarcerated counterparts. Prison gangs are really dangerous and. they completely undermine the prison. system in America, but it's just. unavoidable. There's no way that they. can really completely eliminate prison.

gangs because it's rooted in human. psychology. It's how humans behave. socially. Every single person, when they go into. prison, they have a set of conduct, a. code of conduct if you will. They live. by these unwritten rules where they say. this is right and this is wrong. And. usually everybody's code of conduct is. vastly different. So naturally, they're. going to find like-minded people in. prison. Naturally, rankings form once. they find those like-minded people. So. based on race, ethnicity, religion,

crimes committed, there's going to be a. hierarchy. And people find these groups to settle. into, they find loyalty and they find. safety. And when humans find a group. that they like, we do this very. interesting thing where we need an enemy. group. Mhm. So these prison gangs, I mean, they're. going to happen. Some of the bigger. gangs include the Latin Kings. And when. I say prison gang, it sounds like "Hee. hee, we're friends in prison and we're. going to do stuff in prison." Most. prison gangs are criminal enterprises.

that run outside of prison as well. They. just have a prison division. Some of. these big massive street gangs, their. leadership is based in prison. Mhm. The Latin Kings operate throughout the. United States. They've got chapters. operating in 158 cities alone. In. Chicago, the gang has more than 25,000. members. Just in the city of Chicago. They are known for having five points. that you must follow. I'm not going to. go through all five, but some of them. include "Your word is your crown. Your.

crown is your nation and a king must. live by this word.". And also, "Love is what I carry within. my heart for my brothers, my crown, and. my nation. I'm sorry, what does that. mean? They have a lot of love in their hearts. Okay. They also have something called a BOS. order. Beat on sight. Yeah, a beating for an undetermined. length of time. You say, I put a BOS. order on that person. You could go all out for an undetermined.

amount of time. You could go for 2. hours. Then you've got the 3-minute. physical. 3-minute beatings by at least. three members of the gang, and typically. this is only done to members of the. gang. It's like a disciplinary action. Mhm. Then you have the 5-minute. physical. 5-minute beatings by five. members. And like that doesn't sound that bad. because 5 minutes sounds short in the. grand scheme of things, but you're. talking about prison gang members, five. of them, for 5 minutes.

And then you have a TOS order. Terminate on sight. Death. Typically to get into the Latin Kings in. prison, you have to cut or stab someone. that they tell you to. Yeah. Then you have the United Blood. Nation, or in this case, the East Coast. Bloods. The East Coast faction of the. California-based Blood street gang. Their main source of income is. trafficking, the sale of illegal drugs, and a lot of other things. It's stated. that in order to be accepted into the. Bloods, you have to get jumped by all.

the members. This process is called. being brought home. And if you're not careful, this process. is also going to bring you home to your. heavenly father, they say. They also call it blood in, blood out. Meaning, you want to join, or you want. to leave, you're going to shed some blood. But even if you get jumped, even if you. enter the gang, you still have to commit. crimes of assault and robbery to prove. your loyalty and worthiness. They also. just like sell crack, scalpels, and. opioids inside prisons in New York.

I don't know how they do it. I mean, they're in with the prison guards, but. it's crazy. Then you have the Aryan. Brotherhood. These are the neo-Nazis. They are considered an organized crime. syndicate that has 20,000 members in and. out of prison. They're really small in. terms of numbers compared to everybody. else, compared to the Latin Kings who. have more than that just in the city of. Chicago. But according to the FBI, they are. responsible for a disproportionately. large number of prison murders. I think.

like a quarter. Wow. They partake in arms trafficking, drug. trafficking, human trafficking, dog. fighting. In order to join the Aryan. Brotherhood, you have to take a blood. oath. You have to pledge your. allegiance, and you have to be willing. to kill another inmate. Usually, they have some sort of Nazi. symbolism or shamrocks as tattoos to. identify each other. Also, there's no. exit out of the Brotherhood except. death. It is a lifelong commitment. Your. life depends on it.

One Aryan Brotherhood member stated, "For the Aryan Brotherhood, murder is a. way to make a social statement. If black. people attack white people, we send a. message. We go pick on one of their. shot-callers. We catch them walking. across the prison yard under guard. escort in handcuffs. It doesn't matter. in front of a guard or not. We're going. to go butcher him in front of God and. everybody at high noon and in the middle. of the yard. And it's not just going to. be a few clean stab marks. It's going to. be a vicious, brutal killing because.

that's how the brothers take care of. business, and a brother's work is never. done." The Aryan Brotherhood will. ironically work with non-white gangs for. profit since they are technically a. criminal enterprise before they are. racist. But, um when money's not on the. line, they're quite racist. Like, it. should be made very, very clear. They. typically do not like black people, and. they are typically very homicidal. 20-year-old Anthony Broadwater is black. He walks into the main gathering area of. the prison and he's new here. So, he.

clears his throat. and his hands, he's got this beat-up. looking yellow folder, a manila folder, and everything about his first sentence, the way it comes out of his mouth is. going to be so important. He's got to. look confident. He's going to have a. deep, strong voice, but it's not going. to sound egotistical or threatening, like he's challenging anyone in any way. But, he also can't look too confident or. not too confident. It has to be. perfectly in the middle. You can't. maintain eye contact for too long. because that means you want to fight.

somebody. But, if you keep looking at. the floor, if you keep glancing around. the room, that means you're nervous. That means you're weak. That means. you're hiding something. So, he would stand in the middle of the. prison, deepen his voice just enough to. command the room of violent offenders, and he would announce, "Who is the head of the Latin Kings? Who's the head of the Bloods? Who's the head of the Aryan Brotherhood? I need to talk.".

All three groups? All three groups. He would get all the heads of every. single prison gang, rival or not, and he. would hand them his manila folder. They. needed to read it. Anthony had joined the Marines when he. was 17 years old and he said that he. just wanted to better the world and. better himself. The only reason that he. was honorably discharged from the. Marines was to take care of his dad who. was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He's supposed to be taking care of his. dad, but instead, he's in jail sitting.

in his cell nervously, anxiously waiting. for them to finish reading everything in. his manila folder. He had a makeshift. weapon in his socks made out of tuna. fish cans. He would have to be alert and. ready. Any moment now, his fate is going. to be determined. The prison gangs would. decide whether or not he lives or he. dies. Because in this prison hierarchy, Anthony is at the very bottom. He is a. convicted sex offender. He is a black.

man who essayed an 18-year-old white. college student, and that woman. was about to be a world-famous author. very, very, very soon writing about him. Susie Salmon was 14 years old when she. visited her neighbor's house. He drags. her into this secret underground den, essays her, and then murders her. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Susie. Wait, what? Oh, yeah. There's a girl named Susie. Susie Salmon is 14 years old when she. visits her neighbor's house. Oh, and the.

neighbor dragged her in. Yeah, the neighbor dragged Susie into. his underground den, essays her, murders. her, dismembers her body, and then dumps. her remains in the cornfields. Susie's. dead, but she's not really dead. She's in like this weird dream-like. afterlife where she watches everybody. react to her death. Everybody's falling. apart. Her dad is fixated on getting. justice. He's like a dog on a mission. barking up the tree, but it's always the. wrong tree. Her mom is in so much pain.

that she just starts having an affair. with the lead detective investigating. Susie's murder. Susie's sister is. suspicious of the neighbor, breaks into. his house to find evidence. There's some. other side quest in all of this. Susie. is watching her crush get intimate with. her best friend, and somehow she. possesses her best friend's body to feel. like what it's like to be with her crush. intimately, and then she finds a sense. of peace. Regardless, she watches over everyone. and gets closure. She gets justice, and.

her killer dies. Her killer dies and is. actually sent to Susie, where she tells. him off and watches him get dragged into. eternal damnation. And then she finally moves on. It's kind of a creepy, unhinged story. when you really think about it, but it sold a lot of copies. That is the. fictional story of The Lovely Bones by. Alice Sebold. The novel sold over 10. million copies worldwide. It earned a. spot on the New York Times bestseller. list for over a year consistently.

non-stop without a break. Peter Jackson, the director behind the Lord of the. Rings franchise, adapted the book into a. movie. It grossed over $94 million. worldwide. And like mind you, this is. not This is not a crazy series or a. Marvel movie. Those are some crazy. numbers. The movie and the book was kind of in. this rare occurrence. It was a rare. occasion where both of those things were. commercially successful and critically. acclaimed. People really likes it.

And this just threw Alice Sebold into. literary success and stardom. It is. unclear how much she's worth, but just. her home alone is over $6 million. She is technically one of the most. celebrated authors of all recent time. But by 2023, Alice Sebold could no longer walk her. dog outside. She could no longer step. outside to buy groceries or to go grab a. coffee. She would have to go into full-on hiding. in her $6 million mansion. All because of what happened to her when. she was a freshman in college, when she.

was 18. 18-year-old Alice plopped down on the. couch in the living room and her whole. family has been anticipating her coming. back from college and her parents are. tiptoeing around her. They don't really. know what to say. Nobody wants to look. at the hand-shaped bruise marks around. her neck or like the ones on her inner. thigh or the cuts all over her face. Alice's parents, they're just kind of. shuffling around waiting to see if she. needs anything, if she's going to talk, if she wants to talk about anything in. particular.

Alice looks over at them and every time. she turns her head, it hurts. How you doing, Dad? He looks seriously confused. Um me? I just had five shots of whiskey, but I've never been more sober in my. entire life. So, there's that. Alice looks back at the ceiling and her. dad tries again with her. Uh Alice, honey, do you do you want something to. eat? Alice thinks about it for a moment and. she says very bluntly, Yeah, that'd be nice, Dad, considering.

the only things I've had in my mouth in. the last 24 hours was a cracker and a. [ __ ]. Alice had been assaulted less than 24. hours ago in a dark tunnel under campus. This was her way of coping. The tunnel was creepy. I mean, mainly. because it's past midnight, but also. because a girl had allegedly been. murdered and dismembered under the. tunnel. That's what everybody at. Syracuse University was saying. That was. the rumor of the tunnel. Probably not. the best route to take, but it was the. fastest. So, that's why Alice is there. And the tunnel had these weathered stone.

walls and during the day it's very. aesthetic, but at night it feels like. someone's just going to reach out and. grab you. And someone did reach out and grab Alice. that night. And it wasn't the walls, it. was a man. He grabbed her from behind. and she could feel his breath in her. ear. I'll kill you if you scream. Do you. understand? If you scream, you're dead. Alice nods and it's not like she could. scream. His hand is gripping so firmly. on her mouth and he's pinning her arms. by her side. And the minute that he lets.

go, she lets out a scream and he attacks. her. He covers her mouth again. He kicks. her in the back of the knee so that she. aggressively falls down to the ground, scraping her knee, scraping her face. You don't get it, [ __ ]. I'll kill you. I've got a knife. I'll. kill you. He starts kicking her on the sides. Alice is trying to get kick back, but. all she's doing is more damage to. herself than to the man. Alice manages. to turn around, crawl up, get up on her. feet and she starts running deeper into. the tunnel to get away from him, but.

before she can see the light at the end, he yanks her by the hair, throws her. back on the ground and tells her, "Now? Now you're asking for it.". He reaches around to his back pocket, takes out a knife, and Alice lunges. forward. She falls straight on her face, shattering her eyeglasses. The man drops his knife, and he looks. pissed. He starts rubbing her face into. the brick and starts strangling her, and. Alice loses consciousness. For a second, she comes to, and she's staring at this. man again, and she believed 1,000%.

without a shadow of a doubt. she's going to die that night. That's. what she's thinking. "Oh my god, I'm. going to die that night. Like, this is. it." She would be the second girl in. this tunnel to be killed and probably. dismembered. So, the man forces her. undress. He forces her to kiss him. And meanwhile, she's begging for all of. this to stop. She's thinking, "What can. I do to appeal to this man's humanity? She Wait, I'm a foster child, and I've. never met my parents, and I just want to. meet them before I die.".

"I've never met my biological parents.". "I I've never had intimate moments with. anyone before. Please, I'm a virgin.". That much was true. She never had. intimate relations before, but he didn't. care. Like, if anything, perhaps it. excited him even more. He assaulted her. He called her a. He forced her to tell him that he was a. strong man and to thank him for. everything and tell him that she. actually wanted this to happen. He told. her that she was the worst girl that he. ever assaulted, visually speaking. She. was forced to perform orally. He.

urinated on her, and then he fully. assailed her. And I mean, it's very. graphic what he did to her, but. it was There was a lot. There was a lot. It was not just. not saying it's just, but. it was torturous. There was a lot of. blood. There was a lot of injuries that. would require a lot of stitches down. there. Because the tunnel is near Syracuse. University, and I don't know if this is. the worst part. Some people said it was, but this is where Alice went to school, and she's a freshman in college. There's.

a lot of college students walking around. at night. They would all kind of glance. into the tunnel, hear the noises, and. they believed that a young couple was. having a rendezvous. And most of them. would literally cheer them on. Just woo, woo pig. Telling them to have a good night as. they kept walking off. What? When he was finally done, Alice was. terrified that he's going to kill her. I. mean, this is just the start of his. plan. How is she know, right? But he. told her to put her clothes back on. And.

before he lets her walk off, he said, "Come here. Kiss me goodbye.". Alice walks up, kisses him, and he. starts crying. "I'm so sorry. I'm so. sorry. You're a good girl. You're such a. good girl, just like you said.". Alice was shocked. She didn't know how. to respond, so she just said, "It's okay. Really, it's okay.". "No, it's not right what I did. You're a. good girl. I'm sorry for what I did.". Alice hated this feeling. Like, but she. needed to feel alive. The feeling of.

comforting her own attacker is. disgusting. "It's okay. I forgive you. Can I take my purse now? And my books?". He took $8 in cash that Alice had, but. he let her grab her purse and books. "All right, well, which way are you. going?". Alice pointed. "Okay, well, take care of yourself.". Alice starts walking down the tunnel in. the direction of her campus. She doesn't. want to full-on sprint just yet because. what if he felt that that meant that she.

would run straight to the cops. She. doesn't want to walk too slowly to give. him a chance to ponder any next steps. that he might be thinking or wanting to. take. So, she just kind of speed walked. at an appropriate pace. And a second. later, she hears behind her, "Hey, girl.". Alice turns around slowly. "What's your name?". She looks at him. She doesn't know what. to say. She's in way too much shock. She. just says, "Alice.". And he smiles. Nice knowing you, Alice.

See you around sometime. And then he ran off. And Alice walked. back to campus. After serving a certain amount of time. in prison, an inmate is typically up for. parole. I mean, depending on their. sentence, if they're allowed to be. But. when the time is right, they go to a. parole hearing where a parole board is. going to decide whether or not they're. going to be released early, or you know, be out on parole. There's a lot of. different factors that the parole board. takes into consideration, like the. severity of the offense, release plans, behavior in prison. But one of the.

bigger parts is remorse and. accountability. You cannot be remorseful. if you don't take accountability. If you. don't even admit that you did something, how can you be sorry that you did it? Anthony refused to admit that he uh hurt. Alice, and the parole board did not like. that. They denied Anthony his first and. second parole hearings because of it. Some of his inmates, they don't. understand him. Just admit what you've. done and get out. What's the big deal? You say a few sentences, "Okay, it was. me. You're right. I did it. I feel so.

badly about it." Just be a robot. "Oh my. god, I will change.". And then freedom is right there. Why on. earth would you come back to prison for. 12 months at a time being a convicted. offender, the bottom of the hierarchy? Your life is in danger every second. Why. don't you just say it? Just say the. magic words and get out of here. It's. just puzzling. Even during his arrest, Anthony did not. admit to what he did. He was asked where. he was the night of the attack, and. Anthony said, "I don't remember, but I. know I wasn't doing that.".

In his appeal, Anthony argued Alice had. a reduced ability to perceive objects. accurately due to the fear that she felt. during and after the attack. "It wasn't. me.". The parole board was annoyed. It just. was it just felt slimy. When you do something that bad, just try. to give the victim closure. Just admit. it was you. It's not that hard.

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[ __ ] Did you see? She just walked by. She had blood. She's way too exhausted, way too. detached even register what's going on, what they're saying, who they're even. looking at. They're all looking at her. Her clothes. are inside out. They're bloodied. There's smudges of dirt and leaves all. over her clothes, all over her body. Her. face is all cut up. There's scratches. over her. There's bruises already. starting to show up intensely around her. neck, chest, arms, and legs. And she's. walking like a zombie. She's just dazed, putting one foot in front of the other,

walking back to her dorm. She gets there and she pats her. I don't have my I don't have my dorm key. card. The assaulter had taken it along with. her $8. She walked up to the student working the. desk. I don't I don't have my ID. I I. just want to go to my room. Oh my god. Are you Are you okay? What happened? Alice isn't in the mood to explain. everything to the stranger. I mean, I. guess he quickly picks up on that. because he just asks if she needs. anything else and sends her up to the.

elevators. When she gets to her floor, she tries to open her dorm room. Locked. She knocks on the door. Mary Alice, are. you in here? Her roommate's not there. She can't get. into her room, so she just starts going. door to door, knocking on all the doors. of the dorm room on this floor. And one. of the last doors finally answered. Linda. Linda's a friend of Alice's, and. her eyes are squinting, and she's in the. dark. What's going on? What happened? Alice walks in and Linda hops back into. bed and she's rubbing her eyes.

Linda, I was just hour worded and beaten. in the park. Linda was silent. And then she fell back into her bed and. passed out. Whether it was from shock or whether was. from the fact that she was likely. blackout drunk or a combination of both, we don't know. But Alice goes back into the hallway. where the RA, which is like a resident. advisor. It's like a student that's in. charge of the floor. He's staring directly at her. What what. is going on? As I were to be beaten in the park, will.

you call the police? He rushes to call the police and Alice. is rushed to the hospital. She's. strapped down on this gurney and they. rush her out into the hallway where now. all the other students are staring down. at her. They've gathered cuz now there's. a commotion. A policeman dramatically. puts out his arm, blocks the students, and says very loudly with his full. chest, "Get out the way everyone. This. girl has just been R worded.". As Alice is being gurneyed out of the. dorm, she sees all the other students. turning to one another, like a game of.

telephone. One by one, they're turning. to each other, parroting the what they. just heard, the words that they just. heard, and so on and so forth. And Alice. hadn't even made it out the building yet. and she knew she knew that she was now. only ever going to be known in this. school as the girl who got R worded. She's taken to the hospital where they. have to do a kit. Lot of samples are. taken that night, samples and clippings. of hair. They need Alice to urinate. after the exam so that they could give. her the stitches. She saw them try to hide it, but.

it was kind of hard to miss. The entire. tray was bright red. Her urine was just. blood. It's likely that every part of Alice's. body was aching and in some tremendous. amount of pain, but like a lot of the. victims, Alice went into the hospital. bathroom after the exam and scrubbed. herself for an hour under the scorching. hot water. because she just wanted to feel clean. again. By the end of all of it, her towels were. pink and bloodied.

When Alice gets discharged from the. hospital, she's got to go back to. school, pack her stuff, and then go home. to her family. Both of which she's. dreading this whole thing. When she goes. back to the dorms, she just wants to. quietly make it back to her room without. anybody noticing with people taking zero. interest. Like, she doesn't want all the. questions. She doesn't want the pity. looks. She wants nothing. She wants to. go home. She's trying to slip into her dorm as. quickly as possible, but she ends up. running into her friend's boyfriend, Victor. Now, Victor is black. And all their.

mutual friends, they start shuffling out. into the hallway to see what's going to. happen. And Victor's girlfriend, Alice's. friend, looks at her and announces to. everybody, "Alice, Victor wants to hug you.". Alice said it was the last thing that. she wanted to do. I mean, she said. nothing against Victor, but she just. didn't want to be near a man right now. And even though she knew why Victor. wanted to hug her, to reset any newly. forming feelings towards an entire race. of people because of her attack that. Alice might have, Victor wants to show.

her it's not all black people. She said. that she felt the whole thing was. ridiculous. That's what she said. She said that she. knew this wasn't her attacker. Why would. they need to hug? She said, "I'm sorry, I can't, Victor. I. don't think I can.". He was black, wasn't he? Victor starts crying in the middle of. the hallway telling Alice that he's so. sorry. And Alice felt like she needed to. hug him now, at least for the sake of. him, for the sake of everybody else and. how awkward it was. So, she walks up to. him, she hugs him, and she's just.

waiting, counting down the seconds for. him to pull away. It was the first man that hugged her. after the assault, and she hated it. Alice said, "After that attack, everything changed. She said, 'The world. I lived in was not the world that my. parents still occupied. In my new world, I saw violence everywhere. It was not a. song or a dream or a plot point. It was. everywhere.'" She said it felt like. every man that she passed on the street, it felt like she was underneath them. She felt like they knew what what to.

her, they could see it on her face, and. she felt like they did it to her, every. single one of them. I mean, clearly, logically speaking, it's not true, but. that's just how she felt going anywhere. Except when she went to Professor. Gallagher's class. Okay, it's technically a workshop, not a. class, but it's hosted by the famous. poet Tess Gallagher. And this is the. whole reason that Alice even came back. to Syracuse after the assault. Her. parents begged her, "Just stay closer to. home. We can get you into one of those. like Christian universities nearby. It's. safer. They have a campus lockdowns. You.

don't have to leave the campus.". And Alice is like, "Mom, they don't. believe in toasters. I'm not going. there. I'm going to Syracuse where Tess. Gallagher's going to be, okay?". So, Alice goes back to Syracuse, and. prior to all of this, prior to the. assault, Alice considered herself a. writer. That was her whole identity. But. since the attack, what can she write. about? I mean, how can you write about. anything when all you can think about is. what happened underneath the tunnel? That's it. So, when Tess Gallagher tells.

the class that they need to write a poem. by the end of the week, Alice just goes. into autopilot mode. She starts writing. whatever is the first thing on her mind, and obviously, it's the assault. It's. the only thing that she can think about. When she's done, she absolutely. hated it. Hated it. But she turned it in anyway. Tess Gallagher wanted to see her in her. office. And she loved it.

She requested that Alice read it out. loud to the class the next day. Alice had to print out 14 copies for all. the other students, pass them out one by. one, and stand in front while reading it. out loud. My poem is titled Conviction. She glances around, and she clears her. throat. If they caught you long enough for me to. see that face again, maybe I would know. your name. I would stop calling you the. and start calling you John or Luke or.

Paul. I would make my hatred large and whole. If they found you, I could take those. solid red balls and slice them. separately off as everyone watched. I. have already planned what I would do for. a pleasurable kill, a slow, soft ending. First, I would kick hard and straight. with a boot into you, stare while you. shoot quick and loose. Contents of bloody pink hue. Next, I would slice out your tongue. You. couldn't curse or scream, only a face of.

pain would speak. For you, your thick. ignorance through. Thirdly, should I hack away those sweet. cow eyes with the glass blades you made. me lie down on? Or should I shoot with a. gun close into the knee where they say. the cap shatters immediately? I picture you now, your fingers rubbing. sleep from those live blind eyes while I. rise restlessly. I need the blood of your hide on my. hands. I want to kill you. With boots and guns and glass, I want to.

[ __ ] you with knives. Come to me, come. to me, come die and lie beside me. By the time Alice was done reading her. poem, her face and her ears were red, the tips of her fingerprints were. tingling, and Tess Gallagher looked at. her and told her, again. Alice was forced to read it again. It. felt like torture, and afterwards Tess. Gallagher demanded all the other. students ask questions to give their. input on the writing because. technically, it's a poetry workshop.

One student, a guy, raised his hand. You. don't actually feel that way, do you? Feel like what? You don't actually want to shoot him in. the knees and that other stuff with the. knives, right? I mean, you can't. actually feel that way. Yes, I do. I want to kill him. What is there to gain by that? Revenge. Maybe you don't understand. I guess I don't. I guess I just feel. sorry for you then. The room went silent.

And a week after reading her poem to the. workshop, Alice was on her way to grab a. snack in between classes. And it's as if. the universe was giving her a response. because standing in front of her on the. middle of the busy street looking. directly at her. was her attacker. If you stay in Times Square all day, you. would probably see maybe 360,000 people. walk by. And that's if you're really. looking. And that's on an average day. What are the odds that without any. coordination, without any planning, the.

attacker and the victim would meet. again? It is like the attacker had this. invisible force field shooting out of. him threatening to knock Alice over. She. starts feeling this crazy tightening in. her chest. She could recognize this man. from anywhere, even if it was just his. back. She knew this man. This man. changed her life 5 months ago. There is. no forgetting him. Alice runs through. the checklist in her mind. Height, posture, build. No, this is him. Like. she knows it's him. She could feel it in. her bones. This is the guy.

At this point, the amount of times that. she was forced to think about the. attack, she might have known him better. than anybody else in her life. Alice breathes trying to rationalize. She crosses the street trying to focus. on the original task at hand, which was. supposed to be snacks between classes. I. mean, technically it could be anyone, right? She could be panicking. Alice. walks into the store. Now, on her way. here, she'd been starving, but now now. her stomach feels like it's full of. rocks. She just picks out a peach yogurt.

and a soda and then she hurries back out. onto the street trying to forget. everything. She glances both ways. and she crosses the street, double-checks the alleyway that he was. originally in, and the man is gone. She. releases a slow breath. Maybe she was. wrong, right? Maybe her mind is playing. tricks on her. But then from the corner of her eye, she. sees a flash of carrot orange. A very. tall police officer is climbing out of. his police car. Everyone on the street. notices him because he's hard to miss. He's got this very vibrant carrot.

colored hair and Alice is relaxing at. the side of him. She glances at her. watch. She quickens up her pace. Alice. does not want to be late for class. But all the hair on her arms shoot up in. panic. Her pace doesn't slow. Instead. her breathing rate because she sees him. crossing the street straight for her. Alice wants to scream but her voice. feels like it's gone and she's just he's. he's standing there smiling at her like. they're classmates. Like they see each. other every day. Her brain is telling.

her to scream to tell everybody on the. street what this man did to her five. months ago in the tunnel. But somehow. her legs just keep moving. That's it. She's in autopilot mode. And as he gets. closer, he smirks at her. Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? Alice is having flashbacks from that. moment in the tunnel. His face over. hers, broken glass just digging into her. back. She's laying on the cold concrete. ground. His sour pee on her face. She. could hear him laughing as he passes by. her. But her feet just keep moving. She.

walks past him and it's only when she. starts turning the corner that she looks. back down the street and she sees that. he's so relaxed. He's so sure that she's not going to do. anything. He's even casually talking and. laughing and bringing up a conversation. with that red-haired police officer. It's like he's teasing her saying how he. controlled every movement of hers. That. the police aren't going to do anything. to help her. Wait, so he asked her how do I know you. from somewhere? Yeah, and then she ran off.

And then he went to talk to the police. Yeah. Mhm. The last line of her poem repeats in her. mind. Come die and lie beside me. Alice wants him to die. She needs it. Just like she died on that night in the. tunnel. She wants him to feel her pain. So, her feet start running. Before she. knows it, she's already at the top of. the hill. She's panting. She's making. multiple phone calls. There are three. things that she wants to do before she. reports this sighting to the police. One, she needs to draw a composite.

sketch of her attacker with all of the. details in her mind. Two, she needs to. call her parents to let them know. And. three, Alice needs to go tell her. professor that she's going to be missing. class. There really is no logic behind why she. feels the need to do all of these. things, but her plan is in order. Her. professor was the most supportive in all. of this. He told her, "Alice, there are. going to be a lot of things that happen. from now on, and they're not going to. make sense. But try and remember. everything.".

So, she does. She goes back to her dorm. room. She's thinking red jacket, cuff. jeans, Converse. That's what he was. wearing. She sits on her bed and she. starts drawing a composite sketch. She. calls the police. "I was out of order in. May, and I'm back on campus, and I just. saw my attacker. Can you please come?". As she waits, she continues on that. composite sketch. She starts with his. hair, how tall he is, the way he's. built, his nose, eyes, mouth, everything. Her description would read, "Short neck, small but dense head, boxy. jawline, hair slightly down in front,

pretty dark but not black black.". Alice would be taken to the police. station. She's put into this almost. storage-like room, and she's asked to go. through a bunch of mug shots. She's on. her fourth book, and the faces are. blurring together. None of them look. like her attacker. But someone radios in to the officer. sitting next to her. Police Clapper, the red-headed police. officer that she just passed that day. Police Clapper just called in. He knows. your man. Alice's head pops up, and she watches as.

the police leave the room. They come. back, and they ask Alice two questions. "What did the policeman you saw today. look like, and where did you see his. car? He has red hair and is super tall. He. parked in the Huntington Hall lot. Bingo. We got our man. Because the police officer was seen. talking to him, remember? Yeah, yeah. Then Officer Clapper pops into the room. He's smiling ear to ear and he says, "Remember me?". And everyone, the rest of the officers, they start cheering. It's like a. superhero moment. People are patting.

Officer Clapper on the back. Officer. Clapper, now all he has to do is go. write up a report. And all that's left. is the police send out a warrant to. arrest. An officer turns to Alice and tells her, "We're going to get this pup." Rape is. one of the worst crimes. He'll pay. Anthony Broadwater would soon be. arrested for the rape of Alice Sebold, soon to be author of New York Times best. seller The Lovely Bones. Alice prepared for the trial like one. would prepare for war. She said that she. had a battle motto just written on her.

Okay, it's like a mantra. That morning. before getting dressed for the first day. of trial, she took this dark blue. ballpoint pen and wrote on her leg, "You. will die." in blue. And she wasn't talking about herself. Alice said that she was ready to take. down her attacker. She said, "I found. him. I thought of the last lines in the. poem that I had turned into Gallagher, 'Come die and lie beside me.' I had. issued an invitation in my mind. The. beast had murdered me on the day of the. rape, but now I was going to murder him.

back. I was going to make my hate large. and whole.". And on a mission she was. Alice said, "I. felt like if I was going to win, I had. to hate the attorneys representing him. They may have been earning a paycheck or. randomly assigned to the case, had. children they loved or a terminally ill. mother to take care of. I didn't care. They were there to destroy me and I was. going to fight back.". The defense attorneys for Anthony. questioned Alice's ability to see. clearly because her glasses were knocked. off in the middle of the night. She.

argued, "I can in fact see very clearly. I'm nearsighted. I just like to wear. glasses during the evening because also. it's cute. Like my vision is not that. horrendous. I like the way the aesthetic. is.". She would later say, "He had knocked off. my glasses when he jumped me, so I told. him I was almost blind without them. But. in fact, I committed every feature on. his face to my permanent memory. I know. I did everything right. I survived.". At the scene of the crime, police found. Alice's broken glasses and a knife. They.

also found pubic hair on Alice that did. not belong to her. They were able to run. a microscopic hair analysis and it was a. match to Anthony, the defendant. Alice mistakenly did not pick him in a. police lineup, but she and the assistant. ADA, Gail, stated that Anthony and. another individual in the lineup looked. so similar to each other that they were. practically identical. And the other. individual was likely placed in the. lineup with the sole intention of. confusing Alice. Which side note, police. lineups, Alice said, are nothing like.

the movies. Instead of there being big. rooms where you're standing comfortably, there's just a one-way mirror glass that. takes up the entirety of a wall and the. lineup is done almost directly in front. of you. You are separated by glass and. they can't see Alice, but to Alice, it's. very very real. Her attacker is standing in front of her. all over again. She said she started panicking. She. didn't take the appropriate amount of. time to really look at them. She just. wanted to get out of there. The assistant DA, Gail, remembers Alice. was super freaked out, super panicked,

asking, "Can they see me? Can they see. me?". They can see movement on the glass, but. no, they can't see you. They know when. someone is standing in front of them, but they don't know who it is. But Alice wondered, "Who else would it. be?". And then, number five started staring. her down. She said number five had this crazy. expression in his eyes. It was ruthless. Even through the glass, even though he. couldn't see her, the expression he was. giving to her was like if no one else. was here, even if there was glass, he would break.

through it just to get to her.". And that is why Alice chose number five. But when she got out, she realized it. wasn't number five, it was number four. It was number four. Alice asked for. their photo lineups again, and she. wanted to throw up. She jumped the gun. She told the police it was four, wasn't. it? Four and five looked identical. Alice could tell by the look on the. officers' faces it was number four. The. officers tried to sympathize with her. "You were in a hurry to get out of. here." "I know, but it was four.".

That was all presented in the trial. Alice said, "The cosmetics of our. wording are central to proving any case. So far in just appearance, I was two for. two. I wore loose, unenticing clothes. the day that I had been beaten, and I. had also been very clearly beaten. Add. to this my virginity, and you will begin. to understand much of what matters. inside the courtroom.". And a quote resonated with Alice during. all of this. "We are all prisoners, but. some of us are in cells without windows, and some with.".

Alice said about the trial, "I did what. I was warned not to do. I focused my. attention on Anthony's face. I stared at. him. For a few seconds, I was unaware of. the lawyers or the courtroom. I wanted. my life back.". During the trial, the word virgin was. used non-stop so often, but Alice felt. like, at least, you know, she was doing. something important by sitting through. this, sitting through this very painful. process. And the court would state that she was a. good girl.

But good girls don't do that, typically. That's what they say. And according to. Alice's parents, good girls also don't. chew gum. That's reserved for waitresses. and. according to her parents. And Alice just. had a very hard time adjusting to life. after the attack, after the trial. Even. though her attacker was sentenced, it. just. she didn't feel like she had a good. support system. Her dad was this crazy. Spanish literature professor at U Penn. Her mom was not mentally stable. She. would have constant panic attacks and. Alice was almost like a parent to her.

own mom, and she just had nobody. Instead, she just felt like the weird. kid in the family. Her older sister Mary. was perfect. She's very academic. She. was majoring in Arabic, and just to joke. around, Alice would say, "My perfect. older sister is majoring in Arabic and I. am majoring in the R word.". One day the whole family was at a dinner. table and out of nowhere Alice's dad. even asked her, "You mean he didn't have. a knife in the tunnel?". It was so abrupt. Everyone just kind of.

stopped mid-fork. "What do you know?". "I don't think I understand, Alice.". I thought there was a knife. She never. saw the knife. She said she could feel it, probably. Oh, so the dad's saying, "You're saying. there's not a knife?" Yeah, he's like, "What Is there not a knife? Whether. there's not a knife, what's going on?". Mhm. You know, what what's up with the. knife? Alice's mom looks really. uncomfortable. You know, if as if she's. already had this conversation with him. multiple times. "What is there not to.

understand, honey?". "I mean, how could you have been R. worded if he didn't have the knife in. front of you the whole time? I don't. know why you didn't try and get away.". "Dad, I did." "Then how could he have R. worded you unless you let him?". "Dad, that would be like saying I wanted. it to happen.". "But he didn't have the knife in front. of you the whole time in the tunnel?". "Dad, he beat me up. I couldn't want. something like that. That's impossible.". Wow. After that, members of the church. started coming over to the Sebold family.

home to pray for Alice because R word is. a spiritual disease. And Alice felt like she could never. fully move on from the attack. But when. she was asked if she kept up with. Anthony's case and where he was in his. appeal and his paroles, she said, "Absolutely not.". Meanwhile, Anthony was trying to. convince the parole board to let him out. early. He doesn't want to take. accountability for the crime, which is. exactly what they want, what they need, but he just wants to get out. He argues, "I want to prove myself and to the.

people of the city of Syracuse that it. wasn't me. It hurts. It hurts me to even. think that I was convicted of a crime. like this.". Parole denied. "I accept the fact it's going to be. always with me, this conviction.". But parole denied. In one of the. hearings, the parole board tried to get. him to just talk about the crime, just. to take accountability for a portion of. it, and Anthony responded, "Well, the. crime was done. I was punished for it, and I must live with that.". But that's not our question, Anthony.

The question is, "What kind of responses. do you give when the question was asked, why was the crime committed? Why did you. do it?". "Well, I've been convicted of it, so I'm. going through the stages of the. conviction.". Uh, so you're still debating on whether. or not you've committed the crime. Is. that what it is? The parole board was getting fed up. It's like a kid being caught with their. hand in the candy jar. Just admit that. you did it and get it over with. It's. almost insulting if you don't. Like, do. you think that the parole board is dumb? The commissioner raises their voice.

"Either you're guilty of committing the. crime or you're not guilty of committing. the crime. You're talking in circles. talking about being convicted of. committing the crime. You committed the. crime.". Basically, stop that. One version has zero accountability, and. the other one is taking some remorse and. accountability. Parole denied. "If I am to be released, I will make. sure that all my time is held. accountable. In case, you know, something like this arises again, or. I'll be arrested, or if I'm being. questioned for a crime again, I will. make sure all my time is locked.".

Parole denied. Anthony, right? I presume that you still. maintain that you did not commit the. crime. Is that correct? "Yes, ma'am. The last time I answered. that question, I was hit with an. additional 24 months, so I'm afraid to. say anything now. Wait, when he said that they gave him 24. more months? Yeah. I understand that you're in a tricky. situation, but according to what we have. in front of us, you're guilty of the crime that you've. committed. Parole denied. The next time Anthony's parole hearing. came up, he told the jail administrator,

"Thank you, but I would like to decline. the opportunity to go in front of the. parole board. I understand now that. unless I take blame for the assault for. the crime, they will not release me. I. have nine more years left until I hit. the max sentence, and I think I will. just stick it out.". Wow. Anthony was denied parole five. times before he was eventually released. But, after 16 very, very long years in. prison, Anthony Broadwater was out. He. was out in the same world with Alice. Sebold, and their paths would inevitably.

cross once more. For 16 years, Alice had been trying to. move on from the assault, but ADA Gail. meets with her again and pulls out a. bag, a large plastic zipper bag with. underwear. The same underwear that Alice had been. wearing 16 years ago. Wait, this is 16. years later? They're meeting and looking. at the evidence? Okay. And Alice is looking at it. It had. been preserved along with the trial. transcripts, and the ADA is handing them. all off to 35-year-old Alice.

Alice needed all of these for the memoir. that she's working on. She was going to. tell the story of her attack under the. tunnel and how the crime shaped her. entire life. And everyone was just. asking Alice, "You're 35 now. This. happened when you were 18. Are you sure. like you want to go back there, reopen. all these wounds after it looks like it. finally somewhat healed? After 16 years, this is what you want to do?". Alice said any other story is just not. going to work unless she's done with. this one. She needs to close this. chapter of her life to move on.

Even during the attack, she said she was. somewhat aware that she would eventually. write about it. Alice said, "It's one of. the ways that I stayed with myself. You. know that thing where you shut down, but. you don't want to disappear completely, so you reach out for the thing that. connects you to life? For me, that was. words, that was language, that was. writing. So, yeah, that's exactly what. she wanted to be doing. That's what. exactly she needed to be doing. The memoir was released and went on to. sell more than a million copies. This. was her first book, so this is written. before Lovely Bones. What is it called? Lucky. Lucky, okay.

Yeah, but also it came out a year after. Anthony was released from prison. Wow, okay. Her attacker was free again, but. hopefully this book would chain him back. to the crime. Meanwhile, Anthony's 38, moving into his. cousin's house. He had been in prison. for the past 16 years. He's a registered. level two offender, so most jobs off the. table. He's just. so sorry. In the book Lucky, is Anthony. named? She gives him an alias of Gregory. Madison, but if you look it up, you.

could probably easily find him. Okay, okay. Yeah. Now, he's clearing. people's driveways after a snowstorm. He's mowing their lawns. He's working as. a roofer. He's doing demolition. He's. just doing whatever he could get his. hands on. One day, if the best he could. do was mop the floors, he would do that. And then the next day, he would go bag. onions. He tried to get certified in. some trades, like uh air conditioning. and heating installations, but in those. classes, once they found out his. criminal record, he was kicked out. Unfortunately, that's just the life you. live with a conviction like that.

Anthony said that there were probably. less than 10 people that ever invited. Anthony over to their homes. Nobody. wanted to share a meal with him. Nobody. wanted him in their house next to their. wives, their daughters, their nieces, not even his own family members. But could you blame him? He's a level two offender. He would be. on the registry for the next 30 years. Can you really blame them? There is a knock on attorney Stevens'. door. What is it?

You know that I-word case that you. worked with Majewski? The prosecution's. victim wrote a book on it and you're in. the book. It is unknown if Steven remembered. defending Anthony's case. It had been. over 16 years at this point. And when he. took on Anthony's case, he was he was so. young. He was like a rookie, a starter. He was overworked. He had just been in. this for 2 years. It's unclear if he. even remembered the details of the case, but he knew that they didn't win. That's. how much he knew for sure. So, he. ordered the book and it came in the mail. paperback freshly printed. Steven starts.

reading it. Steven Pacquette is going to. bust all these pregnant ladies. surrounding him, cross-examining us, makes him look bad. What is There's so. much going on. Literally, he's named in. the book and they're just shit-talking. him the whole time. And he keeps reading. and something in his gut. starts building. Once he gets past all of the choice. words about him and the descriptions. about his physical appearance that the. author used, he wants to go back and. read the book once more from start to.

finish, like really read it this time. He never remembered representing a. client named Gregory Madison. But, he racked his brain and he finally. came across Anthony Broadwater's file. The author used a fake name and now. Steven is intrigued. He reads over the. transcripts once more, compares them to. her memoir, and the statements aren't. lining up. But also, there's so many. details that she wrote about that are so. incredibly questionable. Had he known. these details and facts during the.

trial, he would have gotten the case. thrown out. The judge was having private. conversations with the victim. The. police lineup was basically being. rigged. I mean, it's hard to say whether. or not defense attorneys always believe. in their clients and their innocence, but one thing is very clear after. reading the victim's book. Anthony Broadwater, who had been. convicted on five counts and sentenced. to up to 25 years, was innocent. Anthony really, really did not want to.

meet her. But his cousin insisted, "No, just trust. me. You guys are going to get along, and. maybe you guys will feel like long-lost. friends, two souls that have been ripped. apart.". Okay, it's a bit dramatic, but his. cousin absolutely insisted, and Anthony. knew that there was no arguing. He was. going to meet. a woman named Elizabeth. This would be. Anthony's very first date in 17 years. The date itself but Anthony knew that it. wasn't fair to Elizabeth, nor did he. want to feel like he's hiding something.

from her. So, after dinner, he asks. Elizabeth to come home with him. He. hands her a weathered folder of. documents, his trial transcripts, appeal, parole denials, everything. He. sits her down and says, "I know this is. weird. We just met, but if you're going. to be with me, this is what I have on my. back. This is what I carry with me.". That night, he slept on his couch while. Elizabeth spent the night in his room. just staying up reading the file. The next morning, she came out, sat next. to him, and she started sobbing. And she told him, "I believe you.

I believe you.". And it was the same reaction. the prison gang leaders had in prison. Even the Aryan Brotherhood. They said, "You shouldn't be in here for. this, man. We believe you.". To this day, Elizabeth had not left his. side. I mean, the both of them decided. to find night shift jobs that they could. do together, and it would be 3:00 a.m. Anthony would be mopping floors in this. creepy-looking building, everything dead. silent, the smell of cleaning chemicals.

giving him a massive migraine, and he. would look over at Elizabeth, who's just. holding her back in pain. She doesn't have to be here. She doesn't. have to be doing this. She doesn't have. to be with him or working these night. shifts, but she did. Almost on a daily basis, Anthony was. shocked at how much Elizabeth stood by. his side, and not a single time did she. waver or even second-guess or doubt. innocence. She was very firm. He said that she was the reason that he. could keep his face up. And he promised her as long as she.

believed in him, he was never going to. stop fighting. So, Elizabeth moved into his windowless, broken-down house that was held up. mainly by tarp. They got married. I mean, there was. nothing Anthony wouldn't do for. Elizabeth. Well, almost nothing. He would never have children. He said, "I can't. I can't bring kids into this world with. the stigma on my back. I can't bring. kids into this world when their dad is a. convicted offender.".

Elizabeth was broken, but it made him so. angry because he wanted to give. Elizabeth everything she wanted. Anthony. said, "The hatred, the frustration, the. pain, the disbelief, it was all. manifesting.". Meanwhile, Alice Sebold's Lucky and. Lovely Bones are released and they. instantly become international hits. Elizabeth runs to the library one day. reading snippets of the book. She comes. home furious. Not because it's not true, but because it wasn't Anthony. It's not. him that did all these things. She tries. to tell Anthony about all the misconduct.

that's literally written in text in the. book, but Anthony said, "Shh. I don't. want to know. It's not about me. It's. what happened to her. It's got nothing. to do with me.". The whole world was behind Alice, supporting Alice, and all Anthony had. was Elizabeth and his aunt, his aunt. Mamie Lou. She was really the only one. that supported him while he was in. prison because his dad died a year in. She was the only one that wrote to him. twice a month, every single month. All.

of Anthony's five brothers, they knew. that Anthony probably wouldn't have done. something like this. But then why was he convicted then? They might think it is a little weird. that Anthony got convicted because he's. not someone who would do something like. this, but it's also not easy to have a. brother in jail for for of the more. heinous crimes. They all started drifting away and. moving on with their lives. And now. now that Anthony was out, he doesn't. really have many people surrounding him. He said he would attend family. gatherings once he was released, but. it'd been 16 years. So much has changed.

and he could tell that a lot of the. extended family members, they don't like. him. They don't want him there. He said, "I don't have a lot of pictures. of my family members, you know? I mean, I do. I've got a lot of pictures of my. family, but I don't have any pictures of me with. them.". Anthony would save any and all money he. could to try and prove that he was. innocent. Even after his release, Anthony would spend $300 per polygraph. test. He would take two and pass them. both, but nobody cared. Later on, he. spent one and a half months of his.

entire paycheck, sent it to O.J. Simpson's attorney with a letter saying. that he was his last saving grace, but. the check would come back with a letter. in the mail saying that he did not do. appeals on convictions. Anthony had nothing to his name. He. almost had nothing to his name ever. He. never made more than $10,000 in a single. year, working almost every single day 8. to 16 hours a day. He only had this old. boarded-up house that his dad gave him. when he passed, and it was eventually. held up entirely by tarp. Most of the. windows were missing, and at the end of.

that block, there's an elementary school. that if he so much as walked past, he'd. be arrested. Dan Myers, the former sheriff turned. private investigator, was hired in 2021. by Timothy, a director, to look into. Alice Sebold. So, at this point, Alice. had written three books. Lovely Bones was her second book that. was released, and it was turned into a. movie. It was a massive hit. Her third. book was kind of a failure, but her.

first book, Lucky, her memoir about her. real life and this attack, it did really. well. So, a lot of producers were trying. to buy up the options for that, trying. to get that one. Timothy, the director, got it, and as he's reading the new. script, he's thinking it's weird. It's. just not adding up. So, in 2021, he. hires a PI, Dan Myers. And Dan Myers was. tasked with finding Anthony. And he goes. He shows up at Anthony's. house, and he glances around. The tarp. is just blowing in the wind. There's. boards nailed to the giant holes in the.

house that clearly used to be windows. He looks right across the street, and. there's a cemetery. So, not really the most healthy view to. have. The PI finds a 60-year-old man coming. out with a giant scrap of metal that. he's trying to recycle. 250 lb of metal. is about $36. So, Anthony goes around. the city calling anyone who needs trash. that has metal. He picks it up. He's 60. He picks up 260 lb of metal. and turns it in just to make $36.

Hi, are you Anthony? Do you know they're making a movie about. the woman you were convicted of. assaulting? Anthony turned him, and he said, "Well, it's a lie. The whole conviction. is a lie.". I got a haircut recently, and it's got. me thinking about how much money and. time I would save if my hair was not. constantly growing. But what if you. could save time and even make money with. something that's always growing? For. example, businesses grow faster than my.

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Timothy, the executive producer of. films. He hired Dan, the private. investigator. And then Timothy hired. Dave, a criminal defense attorney. And. the book that all three of them were. reading again is Lucky by Alice Sebold. In one hand, they had Alice's book and. the other they've got the trial. transcript and they're bouncing quotes. off one another, making sure that. they're detailing all of this down and. it's becoming increasingly clear that. Alice's book reads more like an exposé. on prosecutorial misconduct more than. anything.

Investigator George Lorenz was the one. to take Alice's initial report during. the assault. And without any. explanation, we just know that the. detective who took the initial report. said that he doubted that her report was. completely factual. Side note, he could. very well be just one of those dangerous. officers who likes to doubt all victim. stories, or he could have sensed that. something was off about her story. He. wrote, "It is in this writer's opinion. after interviewing with the victim of. this case that the case as presented by. the victim is not completely factual.".

Wait, this is the initial one? Initial. In the very beginning. Where. did they write that? In the Trial. transcripts, and Alice wrote about it in. her book. Being like, this police. officer is crazy. He doesn't believe me. He doesn't believe me because he is. probably an R-word apologist. Huh. And again, this is not to doubt her. assault, but more so, maybe her. description of the attacker. She does. give a description of the attacker. during the initial reporting of the. crime, and they do a composite sketch. Now, 5 weeks go by, the attacker is not. caught, and now Alice is walking on the.

street and walks straight into her. attacker. Anthony doesn't even remember. seeing Alice that day on Marshall. Street. He was trying to flag down the. person behind Alice. Remember the. red-haired police officer, Paul Clapper? Yeah. They grew up in the same. neighborhood. They're not friendly. I. don't even know if I would call them. acquaintances. It's like, imagine you. know someone from your high school, but. you never really talked to them, you. never really hung out with them, you. just kind of know them. So, he said, "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?". To the police officer behind Alice. But.

Alice thought, "He's talking to me.". Oh my god. She was certain that this is. the one who attacked her, and he was. mocking her because he was getting away. with it. This part, I think some. netizens are a bit more understanding. about because a lot of victims have. stated that everywhere they go after. their assault, they feel like they see. their assaulter on every street corner. Anyone that even vaguely remembers their. attacker, their panic responses kick in. It stated that this can be a devastating.

PTSD response. However, the authorities. were really reckless with their. investigations, and that is putting it. very, very nicely. A few things about catching Anthony. after the attack. So, much later, she sees Anthony on the. street, and first of all, according to. initial reports, Alice did not get a. good look at her attacker's face. So, the fact that she suddenly recognizes. him on the street many months later is. kind of weird. She said it was dark in. the tunnel and her glasses were knocked. off her face. Initially, that's what she.

said. So, that's already, unfortunately, at a minimum, reasonable doubt that she. can ID the attacker without any other. corresponding evidence. Second, the sketch she gave the. authorities the night of the attack did. not match with Anthony 5 weeks later. So, the night she was attacked, she. tried to give the most fresh, most. recent description of her attacker. They. do the composite sketch, it looks. nothing like Anthony. Another moment of reasonable doubt. without any other corresponding. evidence. But, they track Anthony down, they arrest him anyway. But, why? Why.

would authorities just go off her. description, and honestly, just vibes at. this point, because the description. isn't even matching. I think this incident should tell you. more than enough. After Alice reports. seeing her attacker on the street, the. police put her in the patrol car, and. they start driving around to see, "Okay, well, maybe she can spot him again, because it's likely that he didn't get. too far." Alice is in the backseat. trying to help them identify him, and at. one point, the cops see three young. black men, none of them who match her. description, none of them. And she tells the officers, "No, they're. too tall. Let's keep going, it's not. him." The officer hesitates, parks the.

car, and says, "No, they're. troublemakers. You stay here." They're. not doing anything, by the way. They're. just like hanging out. What? The cops jump out of the cop car and. start chasing them down with the baton, which is absolutely beyond unnecessary. I mean, it's illegal, it's unhinged. They're not even doing anything. He gets. back to the car, and Alice asks them, "Wait, what did they do wrong?" And he. just shrugs and said, "They're. troublemakers, and they should never. talk back to an officer.". Alice said she did realize how wrong. this was. She wrote about it, how it was.

wrong to hassle and physically hurt. three innocent young black men on the. street for literally zero reason at all, but she also admits that the police. officer that did this was living on her. planet. AKA. a planet where black men do not matter. I mean, she doesn't say it like that, but that's what it reads. Off as. She recognized that the cops saw her as. someone to protect and they did not see. Anthony as someone to protect. The authorities bring Alice in for a. police lineup after arresting Anthony.

The police had five men lined up in. matching light blue shirts. They're. wearing jail uniforms and they were told. to stand in a well-lit room and face the. one-way mirror. Alice was brought in and. she was going one by one. They could not. see her. So, there man one through five. Alice. was positive that her attacker was man. number five and she wanted to throw up. just seeing him. She could feel the wave. of nausea. But she found some comfort in the. assistant DA, Gail, who's a woman in a. male-dominated field and she's just.

helping her. She's like, "Are you. ready?" Alice is nodding and she's going. one by one and Gail is reassuring her. since it's light on their side and dark. in here, they're not going to be able to. see you. So, Alice chooses number five. and she knew that she chose wrong. She. could see it in the officer's faces. She. even remembers feeling like she let. Gail, the ADA, down. She wrote in her. book, "I felt myself collapsing inward. I had failed them, all of them and this. was the wrap-up. Gail would go on to. other cases, better victims. She had no. time to waste on a failure like me.".

What? This is crazy, but in the book, Alice. literally details misconduct from the DA. and the police. She said that after. choosing the wrong suspect, Gail walked. in and consoled her and said, "Of course. you chose the wrong one. He and his. attorney worked to make sure that you'd. never have the chance.". The police try to warn the ADA from. divulging further, but Gail, the ADA, continues. She has the right to know. She knows anyway. The reason why it took. so long, Alice, is because Anthony had. his friend come down and stand next to. him. We tried to send the card to the.

prison to get him here, but they. wouldn't go ahead unless he showed. Wait, I don't understand. He's allowed. to have a friend stand next to him? It's. the defendant's right, and it makes good. sense on a certain level. If the others. in the lineup don't appear to the. suspect to look enough like him, he can. choose someone to stand beside him. Well, can we say that's why I chose the. wrong person? No. It goes against the. defendant's rights. They really worked a. number on you, you know? He uses that. friend, that friend uses him in every. lineup they do. They're dead ringers, they look identical. Gail is implying. that they always use each other to.

confuse victims because they look. identical. The eyes? Cuz remember how. number five was looking at her? Mhm. Gail is like, "The eyes? That's the. plan." The friend gives you a look. that's scary. He can tell when you're. standing in front of the mirror, so he. psyches you out. Meanwhile, the suspect. looks down like he doesn't even know. where or why he's here. He like he got. lost on the way to the circus. And so you picked the wrong one. And the case gets thrown out. And we can't tell this in court? We. can't use that in court? No. Not admissible unless he lets prior.

knowledge slip. Alice said the unfairness of all this. seemed unconscionable to her. Man number five was a man named Henry. Hudson. Henry Hudson did not know Alice, and Henry Hudson sure as hell did not. know Anthony Broadwater. They were not. friends. They had just met for the first. time in the police lineup. And by the. way, they look nothing alike. Really? Yeah. I mean, it's ridiculous. Wow. Yeah. photos? Yeah. The only thing they have in similar is. potentially their height and that.

they're both black men. So this is rather enraging because. people have stated that even just. watching one Law & Order episode, you. would know that you can't just ID the. wrong guy, and without strong DNA. evidence, still send them to trial. It's. also worth noting that Anthony was so. confident that he was innocent, he even. volunteered to be in the lineup. He was. so confident that he was going to be. dismissed, he volunteered to be in the. lineup. He volunteered to provide blood. and hair samples, and he took the lie. detector test, which he passed. And his. friends were advising him against all of. this, to be so willing and cooperative.

in the investigation. They told him, "The cops are going to railroad you.". Which means, "They're going to put you. on a non-stop train to a conviction. They don't care about evidence or. justice. They've got a start point and. an end point and nothing's getting in. their way. They're going to ram through. you." But Anthony was confident. He told. all of his friends, "It's the justice. system. I know it's not. beneficial for black people, but I'll. give them whatever evidence they have. because it's still not me. Like, how can. you railroad someone when it's literally. not me?". It was also noted in the investigation.

that the attacker was right-handed, but. Anthony wrote with his left hand. So, why did they want to get Anthony so bad? I think it goes without saying that his. race probably played a predominant role, like a massive role in this shady. investigation. But additionally, Alice. stated that she felt really sick by. Detective Lorenzo's initial reaction to. her report of the attack. Remember, he. was like, "I don't really believe this. is completely factual." And people. wonder if the police were trying to. overcompensate for his initial reaction. of doubting a victim.

At this point, the DA's office was also. known for losing SA cases. They lost. nine in a row, and this was the first. win that they needed in that calendar. year. They had literally zero. prosecutions for the R-word in Syracuse. for that calendar year. The assistant DA Gail would even later. state that Alice was their Joan of Arc. figure, who was going up against the. impossible and the police all rallied. behind her. She even stated that the. judge seemed to feel a fatherly feeling. towards Alice, which is not looking fair. and impartial at all whatsoever.

The trial itself was equally. questionable, and honestly, it just felt. rigged. Most people, including Anthony, his attorney, his family, and his. friends, they were so certain that this. case was going to be thrown out that. he was going to be acquitted from the. lack of evidence. Not a single one of. Anthony's friends or family members. showed up to attend his trial. They were. certain they're going to take one look. at it and be like, "No, this is crazy.". The trial was rooted in two key pieces. of evidence. One, Alice's witness. statement, and two, microscopic hair. analysis. So, let's start with the hair.

Microscopic hair analysis is actually. quite a controversial process. So, let. me run you through how it's done and how. it applies to Anthony's case cuz this is. the bulk of their tangible evidence. They stated that the attacker's pubic. hair was found on Alice when she was. brought into the hospital. Anthony, at. the time of his questioning and. subsequent arrest, volunteered his pubic. hair to compare the two hairs. Now, in. theory, if the two hairs are a match, that means Anthony's hair was on Alice, meaning he is the attacker, right? Yeah. Let me run you through the process.

First, the hair is collected from the. crime scene, victim, and or suspect. Then, the hairs have to be prepared. They're cleaned, and then mounted on. these microscope slides. A forensic. examiner studies the hair samples under. a comparison microscope, and they put. the two hairs side by side. They look. for a few similarities. The color, thickness, length, pigmentation. patterns, and damage of the hair. They. also focus on the comparison of the. structure of the hair. That's it. They don't do any actual testing here. No chemical analysis, no DNA test,

nothing. It's a microscopic hair. analysis. They're just eyeballing it. I. mean, albeit they're doing it with a. superpowered microscope, but they're. just looking for, "Do these two hairs. look the same visually?". Is that like. It is no. It is no longer a standard because so. many wrongful convictions took place. because of it. The FBI has basically. denounced this practice unless it's used. with other evidence. This is more of a. investigation tactic. So, when you're.

investigating, just to lead you in the. right path, this is when you would use. it. You would not use this and solely. this in court because of how inaccurate. it is. Hair is not like a fingerprint. Unless you're testing it for DNA, just. visually looking at it, nobody's got a. unique hair print like a fingerprint. It. cannot provide a definitive. identification of any sort. It can't. even determine conclusively someone's. age, sex, or even race. It can't even. tell you when the hair was left at the. scene or how long it's been there. Basically, it can only tell you if two.

hairs on a microscopic level look. similar or not similar. Just using microscopic hair analysis is. like trying to identify a suspect based. on a blurry photo. And sure, it might. help you narrow down the pool, but you. can't just point to a pixelated face and. say, "No, that's definitely our guy.". Yeah, it's not really evidence. It's not. prove a point. No. Hair is not a fingerprint. So, I mean, what? Now, remember how I said. fingerprints are a lot more specific and. definitive than hair analysis? Well,

there are two things that could have. been more important to the trial. One, they could have tested Anthony's bodily. fluids as, you know, male fluids was. collected from Alice during initial. hospital visits. But, for some reason, some think that it was too tainted by. Alice's own blood that they could not do. it. I'm not sure, but they didn't. And there. was the whole knife thing, okay? There. was a whole debacle with the knife. There was a knife found under the tunnel. at the scene. It was taken in as. evidence and there was a partial. fingerprint on there. The police wanted.

to run Anthony's fingerprints to see if. it would be a match, but ultimately the. judge would not let it be entered into. evidence because Alice never saw it at. the scene of the crime, which meant it. could have been left there before or. after the assault. There's no way to. determine that the knife belonged to her. attacker. And even if the judge admitted it into. evidence, there's no guarantee that. Anthony's fingerprint would have matched. the partial print on there. So, really, all they had was microscopic. hair analysis. and Alice. During the trial, Alice was presented as. a very credible, sympathetic witness.

The DA asked her, "Is there any doubt in. your mind, Ms. Seibold, that the person. you saw on Marshall Street is the same. person who attacked you on May 8th in. Thornden Park?" "No doubt whatsoever.". At one point during the trial, Alice. starts breaking down while she tells the. jury about the assault. And the bailiff, who was standing next to her, tried to. calm her down and reassured her, "I've. been in this business for 30 years. You're the best R-word witness I've ever. seen on the stand.". But she picked the wrong person in the. lineup, which. you know, talking about how.

unprofessional that is, like putting. that aside, I would objectively hardly. call that the best witness ever to take. the stand. And again, I think we can. hold space for Alice and be sympathetic. towards her because she was likely very. much assaulted, and the perpetrator is. still free. But I think that's a. different conversation. I think we've. had that conversation for the past 40. years while Anthony was seen and treated. like a sex offender. So, I'm not going. to focus too much on that conversation. I think it's time for Anthony. Alice's statements about her picking the.

wrong guy in the police lineup are just. wild. In the trial, she said, "Five did. look at me almost in a way as if he knew. me, even though I realize you really. can't see through the mirror. I don't. know, I was very scared, but I picked. five basically because he was looking at. me, and his features are very much like. number four.". It was between four, Anthony is four, and five, but I picked five because he. was looking at me. There were some other. wild quotes in the book about the trial. Alice wrote about when the jurors found. out that she had never had intimate. relations prior to her attack. She. wrote, "They winced. They felt pity.

Throughout the remaining questions, some. of the jurors, not all of them, not all. of them were even women, they fought. back tears. I was aware of my loss that. night was my gain today. Having been a. virgin made me look good. It made the. crime appear worse.". "I did not want their pity. I wanted. their win. The tears of one particular. man in the second row, it made me cry. I. cried a little then, too. And the. reality was that this too made me look. good. She said, "If Anthony stood next to his. friend and played a game of eyes to. psych me out.

You remember cuz she thinks number five. was his friend. Anyway, I digress. Alice continues, "Then I would play the game back. I was. authentic. I had been a virgin. I was. also a good girl and I knew how to dress. and what to say to accentuate that.". She continued, "That night after the. grand jury testimony, I called Anthony a. mother in the privacy of my dorm room. and I pounded my pillow and my bed with. my fist. I swore the kind of. bloodthirsty revenge no one ever thought. possible coming from a 19-year-old. college student. While still in court. though, I drew on my resources.

performing, placating, making my family. smile. As I left that courtroom, I felt. that I had put on the best show of my. life.". When she was asked by Anthony's defense. attorney how many black people were in. the courtroom, she said, "I see one black person other than. the rest of the people in the room.". Alice wrote in the book, "I wasn't. powerful anymore in that moment. I was. guilty for the race of my. guilty for the lack of representation of. them in the legal profession in the city. of Syracuse. Guilty that he was the only. black man in the room.".

Everyone in the courtroom would believe. Alice's words over Anthony's. Anthony. would testify during the trial and he. was asked, "When was the first time you. ever saw Alice Seabold?" "Just today. Never seen her before.". He also testified that he had a scar on. his forehead and under his eye. He also. had a tooth which had been chipped while. he was in the Marines. These were. distinguishing that Alice had never. mentioned in any description. Anthony. also denied that he knew Henry Hudson, number five in the police lineup, or. that he demanded that Hudson be placed.

in the lineup, which is just kind of. ridiculous if you think about it. Like. you really think that they're giving. Anthony that much power to tell the. police who he wants in the lineup and. the police are just going to listen to. him. Alice would not be there the day he. testified. It was scheduled for the same. day that her sister would graduate. college and her parents refused to let. her miss the ceremony. And a lot of. people wonder if she was there, if she. heard Anthony speak, would she have believed anything? Would. things have been different?

The trial only lasted 8 hours over the. span of 2 days, which is an insanely. alarmingly quick. I mean, the total time. for an average SA trial, I mean, to. really nail it down is very hard, but we. did some math considering the average. jury selection, opening statements, the. cases, testimonies, closing arguments. Even without the jury time, it's. typically around 20 to 46 hours long. Oh, the total was 8 hours, beginning to. end. Yeah. So, like 4 hours, 2 days. Wow. Anthony's attorney requested in the end.

that this be a bench trial, meaning that. the jury do not decide and the judge. decides Anthony's fate. The attorney. believed that a jury, especially in a. town of predominantly white conservative. citizens at the time, would not be. sympathetic towards Anthony. Well, and one last slap in the face for. Anthony, because this was in Alice's. book. During a brief recess, the judge, who had four daughters, had a brief. private conversation with Alice and. asked her what her family and father did. for a living. This sounds not that serious. It sounds. like small talk, right? It is absolutely.

not permitted. Like this Judges are not. allowed to speak privately with the. victim during a criminal trial. This. would be considered a violation of the. defendant's constitutional rights. This. jeopardizes the entire trial. After speaking with Alice, the judge. walked into the courtroom and threw the. book at Anthony. The judge pronounced. Anthony guilty and he was sentenced to 8. to 25 years in prison. He would spend 16. years in prison. Anthony was offered a. plea deal of 2 to 6 years and he refused. to take it.

Because he did not want to admit to his. guilt. Because he didn't do it. So, instead of could have gotten out in. 2 to 6 years. 6 years, he stayed for 16. Yeah. And then once he got out, it was it was. bad. I mean, think about it. He's. wrongfully accused of our wording a girl. at Syracuse, and after his whole. release, he set strict regulations for. himself, stricter than the parole board. He did not want a single excuse or.

reason that they could send him back to. jail. I mean, I think a lot of that. trauma is from being convicted of. something that he didn't do. It's very. different. Someone who gets out on. parole after committing a crime, they. don't want to go back to prison because. prison is a horrible time. But someone. who gets convicted of something they. didn't do and are out on parole, they. know even breathing the wrong way or. even just innocently walking down the. street and saying hi to someone you. remember from high school could get you. thrown behind bars for 16 years. They're going to feel a level of. paranoia and anxiety that is.

debilitating to their lives. Even just 2. years after Anthony's release, there was. a knock on his door. The police. They wanted to ask him about another. 18-year-old white woman who had just. been murdered in her apartment in. Syracuse. Anthony said, "I was so scared. to death." And he said, "Oh no, not me. I work at 6:00 tonight to 6:00 in the. morning. I'm on the computer at work. You could see like I'm clocked in. I'm. on camera.". He happened to at the time have a job. that's highly monitored, meaning he has. to clock in. There are CCTV cameras all.

around the warehouse. But this experience, I mean, he wondered what would have. happened if his alibi was bagging onions. or mowing a lawn. Would that even work? So from then on, Anthony only took night. shifts because most crimes happen during. what he calls the witching hours at. night time. If he worked during the day and he went. home at night to sleep, when you're a level two sex offender, that's not really a good alibi. So he would stay home during the day. when most crimes do not happen and then.

work solely at night so that he could. have an airtight alibi all the the. Which side note, just even putting aside. the emotional trauma of that, working. the night shift, I mean, it shaves years. off your life. It's really insidious how. bad the night shifts are for people. It. messes with your anxiety, depression, appetite, metabolism, even body fat. There's a rather strong link to. lifespan, depression, and cardiovascular. disease when people are working. consistent night shifts. That's what. Anthony's doing.

But now, after almost 40 years, 16 years in. prison, almost 20 years being free, with. the help of the director Timothy, private investigator Dan, and defense. attorney Dave, all hired by Timothy, they were fighting to exonerate Anthony. Broadwater. They gathered all the. evidence, and the only thing that let. them really down was the kit was. destroyed. So, they didn't have that. evidence cuz they wanted to do a DNA. test to definitively prove that it. wasn't him. But, thankfully, they made. it to court November 22nd, 2021.

Anthony walked into the courtroom just a. few buildings down from his initial. assault trial. He walked in with Elizabeth. He's in his. 60s, and he was exonerated. Anthony was 61 years old when he was. exonerated from his false conviction. He. was in prison for 16 years. He was. forced to register as a sex offender for. over 22. years. In Alice's book, she writes, "Who would. have thought that something that.

happened that long ago could hold so. much power?". The new DA told Anthony during the. exoneration that "I'm sorry is just not. going to cut it. That this should have. never happened, and he would make sure. that it never happens again.". Anthony said when someone who holds as. much power as a DA. says that to him, he said it was so profound. "I couldn't. help but cry. It was powerful.". I'm not going to. you know, sully in proceedings by saying.

I'm sorry. That doesn't cut it. This should never have happened. And. I will say to Mr. Broadwater. that I assure him. that it will never happen again. That we will never let junk science into. a courtroom in this county. Right after his exoneration, Anthony. rushed out of the courthouse because. there was no time for celebration. He. had to go. He had to go help distribute. 80-something turkeys to the. underprivileged.

because it was Thanksgiving soon. During the first initial assault trial, Anthony's attorney tried to draw. attention to the inherent biases in the. proceedings. Remember he asked the. courtroom, "How many black people do you. see in this room?" Alice responded she. only sees one. Later Alice would write in her book, "The whole thing made me uncomfortable, but this wouldn't be the first time or. the last time that I wished my had been. white.". I'm sure in those moments when Anthony. was sitting there wondering how and why.

he was getting convicted of a crime he. didn't commit, I'm sure he too wished he. was white. Eight days after Anthony's exoneration, Alice. apologized? I'm not really sure if she. did. That's why I'm going to put it in. quotations. She posted on Medium, which. is a website where anyone can really. post an article or a piece with, you. know, of written content. She posted an. unlisted article on Medium, meaning you. can only find it if you have the link. It does not show up on Medium or Google. search results. And interestingly.

enough, it's titled It's not even titled. an apology from Alice Sebold. The title. is Statement from Alice Sebold. She. wrote, "First, I want to say that I'm. truly sorry to Anthony and I deeply. regret what you've been through. I am. sorry most of all for the fact that the. life you could have led was unjustly. robbed from you, and I know that no. apology can change what happened to you. and never will. Of the many things I. wish for you, I hope most of all that. you You your family will be granted the. time and privacy to heal. 40 years ago, as a traumatized 18-year-old our word.

victim, I chose to put my faith in the. American legal system. My goal in 1982. was justice, not to perpetuate. injustice, and certainly not to forever. and irreparably alter a young man's life. by the very crime that had altered mine. I'm grateful that Anthony has finally. been vindicated, but the fact remains. that 40 years ago, he became another. young black man brutalized by our flawed. legal system. I will forever be sorry. for what has been done to him. Today, the American society is starting to. acknowledge and address the systemic. issues in our judicial system that too. often means that justice for some comes.

at the expense of others. Unfortunately, this is not a debate or a conversation. or even a whisper when I was reporting. my assault in 1981. It has taken me. these past 8 days to comprehend how this. could have happened. I will continue to. struggle with the role that I've. unwittingly played within a system that. sent an innocent man to jail. I will also grapple with the fact that. my will, in all likelihood, never be. known, may have gone on to women, and. certainly will never serve the time in. prison that Anthony did. Throughout my. life, I have always tried to act with.

integrity and to speak from a place of. honesty. And so, I state here clearly. that I will remain sorry for the rest of. my life while pursuing justice through. the legal system. My own misfortune. resulted in Anthony's unfair conviction, for which he has served not only 16. years behind bars, but in ways that. further serve to wound and stigmatize. nearly a full life sentence. End. She would also make a few small. statements to the times where she says, "It's hard to unravel a truth I now know. to be false, and for that has been part.

of my life for 40 years and my work for. 20 without my whole understanding of. truth and justice falling apart. Every. word I've read that Anthony has said has. made me see. him as a man who, though brutalized, somehow came through it all with a. generous heart. To go from thinking he. was the man who our worded me to. believing that he was an innocent victim. is an earth-shattering change.". Alice also oddly brings up the fact that. she cannot read or write anymore because. of this life-shattering revelation. Yeah, she said it was a lot.

She said, "It's not just that the past. collapses, the present collapses, and. any sense of good I ever did collapses. It feels like the whole spinning. universe that has its own velocity, and. if I stick my finger in it, it'll take. me, and I don't know where I'll end up.". Which I totally get. I think it would be. very traumatic to know that your real. attacker got away with it, and you. played a part in an innocent man being. sent to prison long time. I think it. would be absolutely traumatic. I think. it would be something that would. rip me apart inside if that is how it. played out.

I genuinely Yeah, I don't know how I. could really. continue about my day. There's no. denying that. But, I also think there. are times when you don't talk about your. thoughts and feelings. Yeah. When there's other parties. involved. Not every feeling has to be. voiced just because it's painful and. unfair. Sometimes silence in moments of. pain to validate another party's pain. that is likely greater than yours is the. best thing you can do for that person. No one's saying that she probably. doesn't feel pain in this. But, she's just talking about it too.

much. Mhm. I don't think that anyone would blame. Anthony if he hated Alice or if felt. anger towards her, but he said he would. like to meet her. He said, "I would sympathize with her. and tell her how I felt. I think that. she's been a victim and I've been a. victim. And to make a statement, I think. it's strong for her to do that, understanding that she has been a victim. and I was, too. It took a lot of. courage, and I guess she's brave in. weathering through the storm just like I. am.". He stated, "If Alice's words are.

genuine, he would accept her apology and. would want to meet with her because if. anyone can really relate to the struggle. that he's been through in a very odd, strange way, it might be her.". Wow. People asked, "What do you guys. What do you think you guys would even do. if you met?" He responded, "We might do. nothing but stare at the floor and weep. together.". We don't know if that's what will happen. because Alice does not want to meet. Anthony, at least not as of right now. There's a quote from The Lovely Bones by. Alice Sebold, and it is, "When I was.

alive, I never hated anyone, but now. hate is all I had.". But Anthony had no hate for Alice. Sebold. But when someone starts a rumor that. he's going to work on a new book with. her, a spokesperson for him said he. would be revolted by the idea of working. with Alice Sebold. And all I have to say is there are a lot. of very scary quotes in Alice's book. referring to herself as being a good. girl, and I think it's intriguing in a. to a degree. I wonder if this is trauma.

that's left to be unpacked, but in this. particular situation, in hindsight, it. reads very unsavory. This insinuation. almost being that she's a good girl, and. this innocent man, Anthony, was still. not as good as she was. She also admits that she was a good. girl, a good victim, that she did a good. job telling the court what happened to. her. And perhaps that's what went wrong. She's so obsessed with being good that. she doesn't see her role in the system. designed against innocent black men like. Anthony. And perhaps when someone is good, they.

so desperately want and need someone to. be bad. And again, this is not me questioning. her assault. That is absolutely not what. I'm doing, but I am trying to understand. why she was so quick to accuse Anthony. Broadwater of being her attacker when it. was so clear it wasn't him. Alice also makes another statement in a. previous interview where she was asked. if she would ever forgive Anthony, and. she said, "It's a really common. question, and I'd have to say, of course. not. But I also don't think that it. would be something I have to do in order. to move on and live my life. I want him.

to be happy. I want him to connect to. his family and community because then he. won't hurt anybody else, and he won't. come looking for me, but I won't forgive. him for what he did. No.". This case is incredibly complicated. I. think perhaps the best way to sum up the. phrase is many things can be true at. once. Alice can both be a victim, but. can also be held accountable for past. decisions. People feel for Alice and can. find empathy for her, but they can also. be very critical of her for other things. and vice versa. In the same sense.

because Alice wrote Lucky and she was. actually a very pivotal spearheader of. the Me Too movement. A lot of people. credited her for spearheading the Me Too. movement completely and there is no. doubt that her story helped a lot of. other survivors. And both of those. things can exist and be true at the same. time. She could have helped people while. simultaneously hurting Anthony. Timothy, the director, said, "I don't. believe that Alice Sebold as an. 18-year-old bears any blame.

She was a victim. She was doing the best. that she could. She was being guided by. an unethical assistant DA. But, I do have questions about the. 39-year-old Alice Sebold who wrote. Lucky. Before she wrote the book, she. had reviewed the entire district. attorney's file, including the photo of. the police lineup. Would she not have. realized then in retrospect that suspect. four and five were not similar in. appearance? Would she not have had the. opportunity to speak up at the time and. review the trial transcripts and. realize, 'Wait, there are errors.'.

Would she not have seen any of that? Many people agree with Timothy's view on. this case and with Timothy's role in. getting Anthony exonerated. However, like I said, many things can be true at. the same time and Timothy is not a great. person. Timothy? Yeah. The guy who helped him? yes. So, the director was very pivotal. in hiring the PI, hiring the defense. attorney, finding out the flaws in the. book, and then putting it in bringing it. up to attention, right? However, he did.

try to take advantage of Anthony. immediately after. Allegedly, he gave. Anthony a conch Allegedly, I don't know, okay? Well, people say he's not a good person. That's an opinion, not a fact, okay? Allegedly, Tim gave Anthony a contract. to sign that was alarming. He wanted to. turn Anthony into a cash cow, or at. least that's how his defense team and. some netizens saw it. It was a sweeping. contract that took all dramatic and. literary rights to Anthony's life story. with zero compensation at present date.

or in the future. We could probably interpret that being. Anthony could never share his own story. and make money from it in any format or. medium. Only Timothy could share Anthony's. story. Anthony's story was no longer. Timothy's. Yeah. Mhm. Timothy also has a felony record, yeah. Which he served time for, white-collar. crimes. He would con investors, allegedly. I mean, well, not allegedly, okay? But Tim convinced people to invest. in 4 million condoms and latex gloves. from the UK. He told investors that he.

was going to take those condoms and. latex gloves to Russia, trade them for. chickens, and then he would take the. chickens and sell them for a giant. profit in Saudi Arabia. It was a lot. He. got away with a lot of money, and then. he ended up in jail. So, it's confusing. Even he is like. Complicated. Yeah, it's very. complicated. But at the end of the day, Anthony is all that matters. I would. include a GoFundMe for him, but it has. since been closed. However, HBO did. announce a docu-series in 2025 on his.

story, so keep an eye out for that. because perhaps that is how we can best. support Anthony and Elizabeth. In. Alice's memoir, she writes, "I live in a. world where two truths coexist, where. both hell and hope lie in the palm of my. hand.". And thankfully, Anthony's hope was. fulfilled. And side note, and not side note, but. very, very important note, the false. conviction and imprisonment of Anthony. Broadwater should not be misinterpreted. as grounds for no longer believing in. victims. 18-year-old Alice was attacked.

She was SA'd. That fact is not up for. debate. The chances that Alice Sebold. lied about her initial attack are slim. to none. And although the statistics on. false R-word allegations are highly. debated, and statistical analysts agree. that they too are slim. However, the. fact that Alice was assaulted does not. negate or excuse the ramifications of. her actions, either intentionally or. unintentionally. Because at the end of the day, Alice. identified the wrong black man in the. lineup. Why didn't she stop and wonder. why? And we've seen the pictures. She's.

seen the pictures. Anthony and Henry. Hudson look nothing alike. If she knew. that there was a possibility that she. would be condemning an innocent black. man for life, why didn't she take the. time to be 100% certain in her. identification? It's interesting, and consider this food. for thought. If Alice identified the wrong white man. in the lineup, would she have stopped and wondered why? Would the court have stopped and. wondered why? Perhaps that is our answer. To highlight. all the different perspectives on this. case, some people think that both Alice.

and Anthony are purely just victims, and. some people think that Alice is kind of. a victim, kind of not. One opinion writes, "I don't believe. it's reasonable for Alice to be solely. blamed. The judicial system needs to be. held accountable. Alice was R-worded. Her R-worder was not brought to justice, and an innocent man had to pay the. price." But other netizens argue, "That's not true." They say that's not. true at all, and to even compare Alice's. victimhood in this right now when she. had a role in. all of this felt wrong. One comment.

reads, "You see, it's the tone of the. comments like this that really bugs me. The valuing of the trauma of a white. woman over the trauma of a black man is. frustrating. Maybe that's not your. intent, but it feels subconsciously. racist.". Another reads, "Sebold didn't really. apologize to Anthony. She carefully put. together apologies that blamed the. system, which she was an innocent part. of. While what happened to her is. horrific, the fact that she later saw a. black man, and that she was 100%. convinced that he R-worded her with no. evidence whatsoever puts just as much. guilt over her as it does over the.

system. Another one reads, she identified the. wrong guy and sent him to a cage for 16. years and effectively ruined a life and. she gets away with no comment and we. think that's okay? No, I'd like a. comment Alice. But this one I think sums it up well. Two things can be true at once. One, Alice Sebold was beaten and assaulted by. an unknown assailant. Two, wrong man was. sent to prison for it and it's amazing. how many people can have trouble truly. comprehending this.

Anthony has filed a $50 million lawsuit. against the state of New York for. wrongful imprisonment. He has won $5. million. and after his lawyer fees, he will. likely take home $3.6 million which is. not nearly enough, but he does want to. buy a big plot of land in the. countryside, pay for Elizabeth's surgery. and he just wants to take her there, plant some pear trees, apple trees and. watch whatever remaining sunsets and. sunrises he has left. Anthony said, "That's the most rewarding thing there. is. All I wanted ever was my freedom. My.

freedom and my innocence. That is all.". And that is the story of Anthony. Broadwater. What are your thoughts on this case? Did. you know this was all happening with the. Lovely Bones author? Please let me know in the comments and. please stay safe. I will see you guys on. Sunday for the next episode. Bye.